Adrian Peterson

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Damar Hamlin is still on the mend and looking good after suffering a severe injury during an NFL game early this year. Hamlin looked healthy when he attended the Super Bowl last Sunday, but not everyone appreciated everything about his appearance.
In fact, NFL running back Adrian Peterson took issue with a jacket Damar Hamlin was wearing, which he, apparently, considered to be “disrespectful” to his deity.
From TMZ Sports:

Adrian Peterson’s furious with the jacket Damar Hamlin wore at the Super Bowl, emblazoned with a crucifix with an altered Jesus head, unloading on the 24-year-old in a social media post, calling it “Blasphemy!!” 24-year-old Hamlin was at the game, sitting with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Donna Kelce. Before kickoff, first responders who saved Damar’s life were honored … and the 24-year-old defensive back was on the field to watch.

Damar was wearing a $3,150 Takashi Murakami “Travis Jesus” jacket with the crucifix … and it really ticked Peterson off. “You should be thanking God son! This is Blasphemy!! We all fall short but cmon man! I find this disrespectful!! #grateful #goddid”
Former running back Fred Taylor tried to reign Peterson in a bit by noting that this was a matter that would be better handled privately. “You should DM him bro…I’m sure (he’d) listen to your opinion,” Taylor replied to Peterson’s Instagram post. “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.”
“But this was different!” Peterson responded. “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!”
Now, one could argue that, in 2023, it’s long past time folks get over to the fact that not everyone feels the same way about the Christian messiah (or any religious figure for that matter) or how he’s depicted. One could also argue that under no circumstances does Peterson get to tell Hamlin how to feel about his own morality after his own life-threatening experience.
Or, whatever, maybe Hamlin’s jacket was disrespectful.
Either way, it appears that Hamlin and Peterson took the issue to the table and are back to being cordial
“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,” Peterson wrote in a follow-up post.
“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.” (I mean, it’s still hella presumptuous for Peterson to call it a “mistake” based solely on how he felt about it, but, again, whatever.)
“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,” he continued. “I feel like there are a lot of people, young and old, looking up to you and with power and influence comes great responsibility. I apologize for offending you.”

This man is really out here paraphrasing Spider-Man while simultaneously lecturing and apologizing to Hamlin.
We’re glad Damar Hamlin Adrian Peterson worked things out though.
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Photo: Icon Sportswire / Getty