Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell is trying to make things right after he posted a photo on social media last week that depicted a police officer being stabbed.
In a video he shared on Facebook Wednesday morning, Crowell announced that he is donating his first game check this season to the Dallas Fallen Officer Foundation, which is dedicated to helping the families of officers who were killed in the line of duty.
“Last week, like so many others, I was frustrated and upset about what’s going on in our country,” Crowell said. “I have friends and family members who are dealing with violence. I’ve seen violence throughout the country, and I’m really just emotional about it. During that emotion, I did something I really wish I could take back.
“I posted a really bad and disgusting picture and I took it down immediately because I knew I was wrong. Nobody had to tell me to take it down. I knew I was wrong. I’m sorry, and I hope you understand that’s not who I am. … By posting that picture I became part of the problem. I don’t want to be part of the problem. I want to be part of the solution.”
Crowell’s salary for the 2016 season is $600,000, so one game check would be about $37,500. The decision to donate was likely a direct response to the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association threatening to remove officers from Browns home games because of what Crowell posted on Instagram.