The Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin was criticised for wearing a “blasphemous” jacket to Super Bowl LVII, but he stated that he didn’t want to “hurt or insult anybody” with it.
Prior to the game’s start, Hamlin received recognition, along with the medical team and emergency personnel that helped conduct CPR to save his life after he had a heart attack during a game in January and monitored his rehabilitation.
Hamlin was present for the NFL season finale between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
The 24-year-old was spotted wearing a jacket with a picture of Jesus on the back and the phrase “Eternal” printed above it. On the cover, there was another picture of Jesus with the slogan, “Without end and without beginning, there is no day and no night.”
Nonetheless, the representations of Jesus have been challenged, particularly by star NFL running back Adrian Peterson.
In a since-edited Instagram post, 2012 NFL MVP Peterson allegedly dubbed the jacket “blasphemy.”
“You should be praising God, son!” According to Peterson, he wrote. “This is blasphemy!!” We all fall short, but come on, guy! This offends me.”
After editing the post, Peterson said that he had talked with Hamlin and that they “were able to communicate our concerns as men.”
“I want to be clear, I’m the last person to judge somebody, and that was never my aim.
“I do recognise everyone makes errors and falls short at times, but again, my purpose was never to criticise, only to offer my viewpoint. “Damar, I admire and love you, and I wish you nothing but the best, but I simply can’t sport that jacket.” I get the impression that many people, both young and old, look up to you, and that with power and influence comes enormous responsibility. I regret for upsetting you; I just felt insulted at that time as a guy who loves and respects our Lord and Savior, Yeshua. After conversing with Damar, I realised it wasn’t malicious!”
Hamlin acknowledged the criticism directed against his clothing. “After chatting with my parents, I see how my coat may have upset certain people,” he stated on Twitter.
“It was never my goals to offend or insult anybody, the coat is abstract art to me. It states Everlasting, for which I am eternally grateful to my Lord! ” My views and relationship with God are not based on symbolic representations. I will take what I have learned and continue to walk in Love as I have always done. “Matthew 7:1-5.”
In his first TV appearance since falling after making a tackle in the first quarter of a game between the Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2, Hamlin claimed he’s “doing fine” physically but is “still working through things” emotionally.
“Every morning, every night I take 10 deep breaths to myself and it puts things in perspective for me. “I’m feeling fine,” Hamlin remarked on Good Morning America.
“I’m still working through things, I’m still trying to process all the feelings and trauma that come with dealing with a scenario like that and not really having anybody around – no one in my immediate circle who has dealt with anything like that.”
More in Sports: https://buzzing.today/sports/
Photo Credits: https://commons.wikimedia.org/