Former Seahawks LB K.J. Wright Apologizes After Promoting Antisemitic Views

Former Seattle Seahawks and Las Vegas Raiders linebacker K.J. Wright apologized Saturday for promoting antisemitic views on Twitter after he came to the defense of Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving, who promoted an antisemitic film on his social media accounts last week.

Wright said in a video posted to Twitter:

"Looking back at my actions, I was trying to deliver a message, but in doing so, the words that I used, the examples that I used, were very hurtful to a lot of people and caused a lot of people tons of pain, and I just want you guys to know that I never intended to spread any form of hate, any antisemitic views. I have nothing but love in my heart, and I'm truly sorry for the pain that I caused a lot of people."

Irving posted the link to the film Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America on his social media accounts last week. It includes ideas "in line with more extreme factions of the Black Hebrew Israelites, which have a long history of misogyny, homophobia, xenophobia, Islamophobia, and especially antisemitism," according to a Rolling Stone article published by Jon Blistein.

The Nets veteran has since been suspended by the Nets for at least five games after he "refused to unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs" while speaking with reporters on Thursday.

The same day Irving was suspended, Wright appeared to come to his defense in a series of since-deleted tweets.

Wright began with a discussion about Irving's suspension before writing that suspending him until he apologizes would be like treating him "like a lil kid that's trying to get out of time out."

The 33-year-old also wrote in response to a screenshot of a quote from Adolf Hitler that was shown in the movie Irving posted a link to: "Oh I watched the entire documentary. Do you believe those words? I know it’s coming from a terrible person but what do you think of those words?"

He then stated that "there’s a big difference between being antisemitic and spreading what you believe to be the truth. Very big difference" and also responded to someone saying that Irving is sharing incorrect information by writing: "Some people have been taught the complete opposite of you. What do we do about what they’ve been taught? Say it’s wrong?"

Wright played 10 seasons for the Seahawks from 2011-2020, winning one Super Bowl. He ended his career with the Raiders in 2021 before signing a one-day contract to retire a Seahawk in July.