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Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin took some heat from former Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson for his attire at the Super Bowl last Sunday.
Hamlin, wearing a jacket that had a depiction of Jesus on the back, was seen during the Super Bowl broadcast sporting the Piccaso-styled adaptation designed by Takashi Murakami.
Peterson, a devout Christian, took offense to the image, posting a photo of Hamlin on his Instagram and calling the jacket “blasphemy.”
“You should be thanking God son!” Peterson wrote in a since-edited Instagram post, per SportingNews. “This is Blasphemy!! We all fall short but c’mon man! I find this disrespectful.”
Peterson, soon-to-be 38, later edited his Instagram post, sharing that he not only spoke with Hamlin, but also made amends with the 24-year-old.
“So I spoke with Damar, and we were able to discuss our thoughts as men. I want to be clear, I’m the last person to judge anyone, and that was never my intention. However, I do feel as if the jacket was disrespectful and it was something that I needed to share. I do realize everyone makes mistakes and falls short at times, so again, my intention was never to judge, just to share my opinion,” Peterson wrote.
“Damar, I have respect and love for you and I wish you nothing but the best, but I just can’t rock with that jacket. I feel like there are a lot people, young and old, looking up to you and with power and influence comes great responsibility. I apologize for offending you, I just felt offended in that moment as a man who loves and respects our Lord and Savior, Yeshua. After speaking with Damar, I have an understanding that it didn’t come from a place of ill intent! #grateful #god #forgiveness”
Damar Hamlin Addresses Scrutiny of His Super Bowl Jacket
Hamlin took to Twitter on February 15 to address his choice to wear the jacket.
“After talking with my parents I understand how my coat could have offended some people,” Hamlin wrote. “It was never my intentions to hurt or disrespect anyone, the coat is abstract art to me. It says Eternal which I am Eternally thankful to my Savior!
“My beliefs and Relationship with God is not tied to symbolic images,” he added. “I will learn from this and continue to walk in Love as I ALWAYS have.”
Adrian Peterson Given Advice From Fred Taylor Before Reaching Out to Damar Hamlin
As an elder to Peterson, former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor, 47, advised Peterson to reach out to Hamlin directly after Peterson’s original post.
“You should DM him bro…I’m sure he’s listen to your opinion. Posting it doesn’t help anyone. He’s young, young ppl don’t always think before they wear things just like people who wear skulls and other things that doesn’t align with Christian beliefs. Try to reach him,” Taylor commented.
At the time, Peterson was still stuck on Hamlin’s jacket as being disrespectful without understanding Hamlin’s beliefs on spirituality.
“But this was different! I know young people don’t think at times, older as well! But with everything surrounding his situation!! This isn’t one of those moments where it’s a young guy not thinking,” Peterson replied.
Peterson’s edit to his post and Hamlin addressing the matter on Twitter have seemed to reconcile the issue since Taylor advised Peterson to hear Hamlin out.
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