Denver Broncos’ safety Kareem Jackson has been suspended by the NFL for four games for repeated violations of unnecessary roughness rules. He was ejected from last Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers for his sideline hit on Packers tight end Luke Musgrave in the fourth quarter. Following the game Jackson showed racist DM’s he received from fans on social media following the game.
Fans Are Habitual Line Steppers
The DM was sent to Jackson’s Instagram account just after he was booted from the game. The message, apparently sent from a man named Philipp, read, “Stop behaving like a f***ing n** 🤡”
Jackson reposted the message on his Instagram story with a message.
“I wanna make sure you get the attention you’re looking for,” Jackson wrote. “I want your friends and family to know what type of racist person you really are over a game. I’ll repost all this week so it doesn’t go unnoticed. Don’t worry, IG tough guy.”
Jackson received another message from someone named Daniel Bohn that read “Go suck some d*** you sick f***” and he posted it again on his IG story with a message.
“Another IG tough guy,” Jackson wrote. “This what we deal wit because we are athletes on a regular. Disgruntled fans that hide behind social media knowing it wouldn’t end well in person. Enjoy this fame Daniel.”
Athletes repeatedly deal with this type of behavior from fans before, during, and after games. It often comes via social media or at the game itself.
Jackson is correct when he says fans hide behind social media knowing it wouldn’t end well in real life. So many fans are quick to talk tough at a game, knowing a player won’t do anything on the field or court, or on social media where the attacker can remain anonymous or hide. It’s rare that a fan walks up to an athlete in public and talks the way they do in those other two spaces.
In fact most fans who talk tough wind up asking for autographs, avoiding the athlete, or recoiling sheepishly when they encounter a pro athlete.
All of it is clown behavior.
Jackson To Appeal Suspension
As for Jackson’s suspension. This is the second time he’s been ejected for an illegal hit, though he plans to appeal his suspension. If it holds he stands to lose $558,889 in salary.
“On the play in question, you delivered a forceful blow to the head/neck area of a defenseless receiver, when you had the time and space to avoid such contact,” vice president of football operations Jon Runyan wrote in a letter to Jackson. “You could have made contact with your opponent within the rules, yet you chose not to.”
Football is a dangerous and violent game. The league has done what it can to try and legislate the illegal hits out of the game, but when you’re moving at full speed and in the heat of competition it is difficult to stop momentum and pull-up.
If the suspension stands after the appeal, Jackson will miss miss the Broncos’ matchups against Kansas City, Buffalo, Minnesota and Cleveland.
