National Football League

Hamlin: I meant no religious disrespect for wearing jacket

Published Feb. 15, 2023 10:12 p.m. ET

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin said Wednesday he never intended to offend anyone for attending the Super Bowl wearing a jacket that critics deemed to feature an offensive depiction of Jesus.

"After talking with my parents I understand how my coat could have offended some people," Hamlin wrote in a note posted on his Twitter account. "It was never my intention to hurt or disrespect anyone, the coat is abstract art to me."

Hamlin closed his two-post thread by saying he will continue to learn from the situation while adding: "My beliefs and Relationship with God is not tied to symbolic images."

The second-year player continues recovering after having to be resuscitated on the field after going into cardiac arrest during a game in Cincinnati six weeks ago and created a stir for being pictured wearing a Kanye West Eternal Saint blue varsity jacket during pregame ceremonies and sitting in NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s box at the Super Bowl in Arizona on Sunday.

The back of the jacket featured an abstract illustration of Jesus on the cross under the word "ETERNAL." The front featured an abstract depiction of Jesus’ face and appears to reference a Bible verse that reads: "Without end or beginning there is no day and no night."

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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