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Former NFL Player Brian Bosworth Apologizes for Rudeness toward Cashier after 30 Years, Says God Changed His Attitude

  • Michael Foust Crosswalk Headlines Contributor
  • Published Jan 02, 2020
Former NFL Player Brian Bosworth Apologizes for Rudeness toward Cashier after 30 Years, Says God Changed His Attitude

Social media often is a source of division, but two days after Christmas, it allowed a football legend to right an overlooked 30-year wrong. 

The incident began when the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks announced that former player Brian Bosworth – who played for the team for two seasons in the late 1980s prior to a career-ending injury – would be raising the Seahawks’ “12th man flag” in a traditional pregame ceremony prior to the team’s game with San Francisco. 

That sparked pushback from several fans, who remembered Bosworth as a controversial self-centered player. Bosworth was an All-American linebacker at the University of Oklahoma and was drafted in the first round, but made it clear he didn’t want to play for the Seahawks. Still, he eventually signed with the organization. 

“I was a young mother working a job in retail when ‘Boz’ was playing for Seattle,” one woman named Tammy wrote on Twitter. “He came through my check out line one day and was extremely rude. He actually said ‘do you know who I am???’ I didn’t at the time, but I will never forget how he made me feel. Not a fan.”

Bosworth saw her Tweet and quickly responded, telling her he had changed.

“So sorry that our interaction was unpleasant when I was young,” he wrote, “... back then I tended to be all about me & nothing about HIM … standing alone is being in darkness … being close to HIM life is very bright and full of Grace so our next interaction will be much brighter @Tammy80008759.”

The apology stood out on Twitter – a platform where humility is rare. 

“I love that Tammy had the courage to speak up,” one person wrote. “I also love Brian admitting fault and apologizing. No excuses given. This is the America I live in. :) Bless you both.”

Tammy, too, responded. 

“Thank you, Brian for taking the time to apologize, it means a lot to me,” she wrote. “My dad, Pastor Red, was right about you changing and I can’t wait to call him and tell him about this.  I am sorry for my harsh words.”

Bosworth previously told CBN News that his father’s death sparked his search for meaning and purpose in life.

“I had my grandmother who was very faithful to the relationship with Jesus Christ,” he said. “You know, when you’re a little kid you don’t understand the impact of how that’s going to resonate for the rest of your life. All of my choices were keeping me from human love and from my father’s love. And the only way I’m going to fix that is if I decide to break the chains and get on my knees and finally say, ‘I can’t do this by myself and I can’t do it without you.’” 

Michael Foust is a freelance writer. Visit his blog, MichaelFoust.com.

Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Ronald Martinez/Staff

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.