Falcons OT Kaleb McGary apologizes for insensitive tweet about George Floyd protests
With tensions and emotions running high across the country in light of George Floyd’s death and the resulting protests, this is a good time for every athlete to think very hard about what they want to say on social media before posting.
Atlanta Falcons offensive tackle Kaleb McGary did not do that Friday.
The 2019 first-rounder tweeted his thoughts about the protests, saying that people who were destroying property “in response to a sad and senseless death” had “made themselves no better than the cops they claim to hate.”
#Falcons 2019 first round pick, OT Kaleb McGary, tweet-delete that the people protesting George Floyd's death are no better than the cop that killed him. pic.twitter.com/J2B3cllIkn
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) May 29, 2020
McGary got a lot of blowback from fans who didn’t like that he was equating the destruction of property with the taking of a human life.
Ummm yeah @KalebMcgary your services are not needed in the city of Atlanta. Next time keep your mouth shut pic.twitter.com/hYJE7V1P54
— Stanrico Lawson (@Mrplatinumtouch) May 29, 2020
This is you right now.. pic.twitter.com/7EKH73JBSr
— 🇸🇴Eyvallah🇹🇷 (@WARIIRI) May 29, 2020
Make you should have a conversation with your teammate Rico before making such a dumb statement 🤷🏻♂️ @KalebMcgary
— Añdrew Hathaway (@AndrewHathaway_) May 29, 2020
🗣 YOU BETTER TELL YOUR TEAMMATE @KalebMcgary https://t.co/1hMJ6UGyO8
— Won't Argue with Lazy Bitches aka all y'all (@LethalSaint_) May 29, 2020
The criticism was so strong that McGary deleted the tweet and posted an apology.
One sad and senseless death is too many and this trend has to stop. I know I will never experience the same feeling some of my brothers and sisters feel and I cannot pretend that I will. I apologize for my previous misguided choice of words and the hurt they have caused, that was
— Kaleb McGary (@KalebMcgary) May 29, 2020
not my intent. I recognize I shouldn’t have said what I said and I am learning from this.
— Kaleb McGary (@KalebMcgary) May 29, 2020
But fans never forget. The damage had already been done, and an apology wouldn’t erase that for some fans.
whom among us hasn’t gotten a bit tongue-tied and equated murder with throwing a rock at an Arby’s
— biscuitff (@biscuitff2) May 29, 2020
You play in Atlanta. Do better.
— Kirby’s Mart (@kirbyssmart) May 29, 2020
McGary has the right to hold any opinion he wants, but that doesn’t mean he’s immune to criticism if he chooses to share his opinion with the world. During such a heightened time, athletes need to be thoughtful about what they say on social media and be prepared for the response, or they’re better off not posting at all. That’s a hard lesson to learn, as McGary just experienced for himself.
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