Isaiah Crowell plans to donate the first game check of the season to the Dallas Fallen Officer Foundation, a police support group, amid doubts about the sincerity of his remorse over a disturbing image posted on social media.
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"I would never wish violence on anyone, especially a police officer," Crowell said in a video posted on TMZ. “I’m sorry to all the Browns fans, all the people who support my career and all the kids out there who look up to me. But most of all, all the good police officers who are out there protecting us every day. By posting that picture, I became part of the problem. And I don’t want to be part of the problem, I want to be part of the solution.
"I know this may not change your mind about me, and I can’t take the post back. But I’m sorry, and moving forward, I’m committed to being part of the solution."
The Browns running back had apologized for posting a picture on Instagram of a hooded man cutting a police officer’s neck. The team said Crowell's apology was insufficient, and a Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association official threatened to pull officers working game days at FirstEnergy Stadium.
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Crowell said raw emotion took over when he posted the image after the police-shooting deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile but before the Dallas massacre that left five police officers dead from a lone gunman.
Crowell’s donation would be $35,294 if he's still on the team, according to Pro Football Talk.