Cleveland Browns lineman Wyatt Teller is under fire for bagging a 10-foot alligator and posing with the creature on video.
The player caught flak after the incident was posted online.
Teller reportedly killed the reptile during a hunting trip in Florida last week, the New York Post reported.
The video of Teller’s hunt was shared on Instagram by Hannah Cook, the girlfriend of Miami Dolphins defensive end Zach Sieler. Though, it wasn’t long before anti-hunting activists kicked up a social media storm against the player.
Cook captioned the video, “Wish you were here, but don’t worry, Wyatt’s bringing back a souvenir.”
While they are protected, permitted alligator hunting is perfectly legal in Florida from August to November.
Nothing to see here, just Browns All Pro G Wyatt Teller carrying an alligator over his shoulders 🐊 🐊
(🎥: @BrownsByBrad) pic.twitter.com/KbAaT93IRE
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 5, 2021
Some on social media attacked the player over the video.
Killing animals for weightlifting purposes 🏼♂️🏼♂️
— B 🗡(19-17☘️) (@CantStopB) March 5, 2021
Is carrying a dead animal supposed to be impressive 🏻♂️
— Carlos Robles (@CarlosRobles415) March 5, 2021
Carrying dead things is cool…when you’re a sociopath
— Jonny 5yve (@jonNYC5yve) March 5, 2021
Some even inaptly compared the dead alligator to Michael Vick’s dogfighting incident:
Hey @peta care to chime in here? I remember how aggressively you reprimanded a certain NFL Quarterback that played in Atlanta and Philly. Lets hear it for consistency! Those poor animals right? Right?ὄ
— Ogun (@Pick6_) March 5, 2021
So I want to know who killed the animal because let me tell y’all. The way y’all still talk about Michael Vick after those years of dog fighting is beyond me. Every animal should be treated equally not for fighting purposes or weight lifting purposes. I’m just saying.
— SoPPED UP (@itsLeRaee) March 5, 2021
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