Super Bowl champion Julian Edelman posts open letter to Meyers Leonard after racial slur

NFL star Julian Edelman posted an open letter to Miami Heat centre Meyers Leonard following the NBA player's use of an anti-Semitic slur during a recent video game livestream.

Leonard has been pulled from team activities as the NBA investigates after video emerged of the big man saying:

"F---ing cowards; don't f---ing snipe me, you f---ing k--- b----."

New England Patriots receiver and three-time Super Bowl champion Edelman, who is Jewish, posted a letter to Leonard on Twitter inviting him to dinnner on Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, so they could discuss how his comments impacted the community.

"I get the sense that you didn't use that word out of hate, more out of ignorance. Most likely, you weren't trying to hurt anyone or even profile Jews in your comment. That's what makes it so destructive. When someone intends to be hateful, it's usually met with great resistance. Casual ignorance is harder to combat and has greater reach, especially when you command great influence. Hate is like a virus. Even accidentally, it can rapidly spread."

Edelman has spoken out against anti-Semitism in recent years. In 2020 he publicly invited then-Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson to the United States Holocaust Museum, after Jackson published anti-Semitic social media posts. Following the meeting, Edelman said he and Jackson had a positive dialogue and remain in contact.

"We've stayed in touch. I think it was a healthy conversation. ... I just wanted to not only show that I support my community but also show that I'm here to help people in my league, because we're all one."

The Miami Heat is owned by Israeli-American businessman Micky Arison with the team also having large Jewish fan base.

In the team's statement, the Heat said it "vehemently condemns the use of any form of hate speech" while labeling Leonard's comments "disappointing and hurtful."