The Internet turns everything into a joke. At a time when hiding behind your keyboard and screen is easier than confronting someone face-to-face, people online have no fear saying something outlandish that they'd never utter in real life.
That's certainly the case for former NFL defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth because he's landed himself in hot water for an Instagram post in which he jokingly insinuates attacks on the White House.
Days after U.S. airstrikes killed Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani, who was considered one of the Islamic Republic's most powerful figures, tensions between the two countries have continued to rise. Iran said the country would no longer abide by the 2015 nuclear deal and threatened revenge, while United States President Donald Trump declared that any retaliation would be met "very fast and very hard" with attacks on 52 Iranian sites.
Suffice to say that some Democrats and Republicans alike are on edge, but as you'd expect, social media decided to create "World War 3" memes and make the entire Iran crisis less serious than it really is.
Among those joining the fun was Albert Haynesworth. You might remember the 350-pound mauler as a two-time All-Pro who signed a massive seven-year, $100 million deal with the Washington Redskins in 2009, which included a then-NFL record $41 million guaranteed.
Haynesworth never lived up to the hype and was traded to the New England Patriots just two years later. The Tennessee Titans' 15th overall pick of the 2002 NFL Draft played his last football game after that 2011 campaign. Haynesworth played college football at the University of Tennessee.
Aside from minor legal issues since retirement, Haynesworth most recently made news after announcing kidney failure, which was successfully treated in Nashville. His Instagram post on Sunday suggesting Iran should target the White House, however, landed him right back in the spotlight.
Former NFL Player Albert Haynesworth Suggests White House Attack
https://www.instagram.com/p/B66lbKuFj9q/
"@Iran if you are going to attack the United States well here is a picture for you! #justtryingtohelp us folks that aren't starting wars"
— Albert Haynesworth, via Instagram
Words like "disgraceful," "embarrassing," and "treason" flooded Haynesworth's comments. He followed up this post with two more troll attempts at President Trump and Republicans in particular to show just how insane people on social media can be.
Welcome to another poorly-executed attempt at humor gone terribly wrong, and yet another reason for people to realize that some things should never be posted online in the first place.
