Buffalo Bills Safety Damar Hamlin has apologized for wearing a controversial Jesus jacket during Superbowl LVII.
According to The Christian Post, The Eternal Saint embroidered unisex bomber varsity jacket included a zombified Jesus hanging on a cross while wearing a crown of thorns. The phrase "Without end or beginning/There is no Day, and there is no Night" was stitched in cursive on the front of the jacket.
Hamlin, who made headlines last month after collapsing and going into cardiac arrest during a Jan. 2 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, said that his parents helped him realize why the jacket sparked backlash.
"After talking with my parents, I understand how my coat could have offended some people. It was never my intentions (sic) to hurt or disrespect anyone, the coat is abstract art to me. It says Eternal, which I am Eternally thankful to my Savior!" he tweeted Wednesday.
"My beliefs and Relationship with God is not tied to symbolic images. I will learn from this and continue to walk in Love as I ALWAYS have," he added.
My beliefs and Relationship with God is not tied to symbolic images. I will learn from this and continue to walk in Love as I ALWAYS have. Matthew 7:1-5 π«ΆπΎπ
β πππ¦ππ« πππ¦π₯π’π§ (@HamlinIsland) February 15, 2023
Hamlin's tweet included a reference to Matthew 7:1-5, where Jesus told His followers not to judge others.
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged," the Scripture reads, in part. "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
The varsity jacket, which costs $6,500 on eBay, was designed by rapper Travis Scott and fine arts designer Takashi Murakami. It was released under the brand Saint Michael.
Many Christians, including retired NFL star running back Adrian Peterson, criticized Hamlin for wearing the controversial jacket.
"You should be thanking God, son," Peterson, who played for the Minnesota Vikings, initially wrote in an Instagram post. "This is Blasphemy!! We all fall short but cmon man! I find this disrespectful!!"
After speaking with Hamlin, Peterson updated the caption.
"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," he wrote. "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 feel like there are a lot of people, young and old, looking up to [Hamlin] 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."
Peterson added that his conversation with Hamlin was to help him understand that he wasn't coming "from a place of ill intent."
Photo courtesy: Β©Getty Images/Gregory/Shamus/Staff
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
