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Josh Rosen Details Anti-Semitic Slurs Used Against Him by Opponents During Games

Rob Goldberg@TheRobGoldbergFeatured ColumnistApril 24, 2018

UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen is seen at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, March 3, 2018, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)
Gregory Payan/Associated Press

NFL draft prospect Josh Rosen recently said he has heard a lot of anti-Semitic slurs used against him by opponents so far in his career.

"I get a lot of Jewish things," the former UCLA quarterback said about trash talk, per Michael Silver of NFL.com. "My nose, particularly. I get, like, 'Stay the f--k down, you Jewish bastard ... I'm gonna break your f--king nose, you Jew.'"

Rosen, who is usually not afraid to speak his mind, said the taunts don't bother him.

"I really like when people try to get in my head," he added. "I like away games more than home games. I like silencing crowds; that's a big thing."

The quarterback's personality has been under a microscope through the draft process, and his identity and religious affiliation have surprisingly also been a topic of conversation.

In an interview with Sam Alipour of ESPN The Magazine, Rosen explained that while he's Jewish, he also went to Catholic school and attended Mass every Sunday but now considers himself agnostic.

"It'd be naive to think you're just born into the right religion that will get you into heaven. My opinion will evolve and grow," he explained. "... Don't tell me how to live my life, but I'd love to hear about how you live yours."

Regardless of what Rosen considers himself, however, the type of anti-Semitic slurs he heard during his college career should not be tolerated at any level, even if the target was not offended.