Eagles' Darius Slay Apologizes for Joking About a Police Officer Being Assaulted

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay issued an apology Saturday for joking about a video that showed a police officer being hit on the head with the lid of a trash can.

Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk reported Slay's original Twitter post, which has since been deleted, said "Captain America!" alongside the cry-laughing emoji above the video.

This comes amid heightened awareness of the Black Lives Matter movement, which is focused on racial equality and has shed light on police brutality.

The Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd and the police shooting of Jacob Blake on Sunday in Wisconsin are just two examples that have sparked recent protests.

Slay has used his Twitter feed to highlight the need for change and called on key NFL figures to help the cause in a post Wednesday while NBA teams went on strike in the wake of the Blake shooting:

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported the NFL is "planning extensive content around racial injustice for Week 1 of the regular season," which kicks off Sept. 10.

Slay joined the Eagles as part of a March trade with the Detroit Lions. He'd emerged as one of the NFL's top corners across seven years in Detroit, including three straight Pro Bowl selections beginning in 2017. He was also named First Team All-Pro in 2017.

The 29-year-old Georgia native is projected to start opposite Avonte Maddox in the Eagles secondary when the 2020 season gets underway.

Philadelphia is set to open the campaign Sept. 13 when it visits FedEx Field to take on the Washington Football Team.