Recently retired NFL wide receiver Cole Beasley has come under fire for seemingly sticking up for suspended Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving.
Beasley, 33, who retired last month following his release by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, responded to news of Irving's suspension for promoting an anti-Semitic documentary by seemingly suggesting that Irving was being treated unfairly for speaking his mind.
"Won't miss this part of professional sports," Beasley said on Twitter. "'Be you' they say. Yea alright..."
Beasley's post was met with swift backlash.
Among the negative responses was an apparent Bills fan who said they were glad Beasley was no longer in Buffalo. Beasley replied, saying "you and me both."
Many of the other responses were along the lines that "being you" doesn't give one free rein to push hate speech:
Others tried to see the lighter side of the situation:
It's not the first time Beasley and Irving have apparently been on the same page on a divisive topic, as both players stirred controversy over their refusal to get vaccinated against Covid.
In Beasley's case, it seemed to play a role in his eventual release by the Bills, while Irving's future with the Nets is less clear following his suspension of at least five games over the anti-Semitism row.
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