The AFC Divisional Round battle between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals spilled off the field and onto social media this week after Bengals cornerback Eli Apple quote tweeted a Stefon Diggs tweet with a hand heart emoji, which many thought was a reference to Bills safety Damar Hamlin.
“Cancun on 3,” the tweet wrote, ending in the same hand heart emoji that Hamlin is known to use frequently, especially after his in-game collapse on Jan. 2.
Cancun on 3 🫶🏿 https://t.co/oOHSw1AMsT
— Eli Apple (@EliApple) January 24, 2023
The 24-year-old Hamlin made the gesture during the divisional round matchup while sitting in the Highmark Stadium suite, another potential reason Apple's tweet could have been a reference to the safety.
The Bills fans went WILD after Damar Hamlin was shown on the video board at Highmark Stadium 🔊pic.twitter.com/4QAVztpAu1
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) January 22, 2023
Apple tweeted on Tuesday that he was not trying to diss Hamlin, claiming he would never make light of the Bills' safety's medical emergency.
“All love thoughts prayers and concerns to [Damar Hamlin] as he continues to recover from that tragic incident,” Apple wrote. “Never would I make light of that scary unfortunate scene. This game is truly a dangerous risk to our bodies mind and spirit. Nothing but love to all my football brothers.”
The clarification came after Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson called Apple out in a strongly worded tweet of his own.
“You played a good game [Eli Apple] but you disrespect my boy [Damar Hamlin's] situation that s–t get you beat up frfr,” Lawson tweeted. “Keep it on the field.”
Although Apple denied the shade, and said he would never joke about a serious incident such as the one Damar Hamlin suffered, he has yet to respond to Apple's tweet.
The off-field drama should make for appointment viewing when the Bills and Bengals meet next season, but Cincinnati will be focused on the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.
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