Cleveland Browns linebacker Tank Carder tweets homophobic slur, apologizes

Cleveland Browns rookie linebacker Tank Carder made several off-color and homophobic tweets in the last week, then followed it up with a non-apology that he said he would never give.

It all started when Carder got into it with Because I’m A Guy on Twitter:

via outsports.com

Carder has since deleted the tweet.

He followed it up earlier today with a tweet complaining that the faggots had seen his tweet:

via outsports.com

“Butt hurt” is, apparently, internet slang for “offended.” Of course, he used a term rooted in homophobia to make his point here.

Maybe worst of all, Carder seems unfazed when he says he’s against gays and lesbians. In fact, being against gays and lesbians doesn’t make you homophobic, according to this Rhodes scholar:

via outsports.com

After saying he wouldn’t apologize, he then issued this non-apology that makes it all worse because, according to him, you can totally call someone a “faggot” if they’re attacking team sports:

Major League Soccer puts the penalty at a three-game suspension for this kind of language. The NBA puts the cost at $50k.

Nothing short of a one-game suspension and that game check being donated to an LGBT sports organization will suffice as a punishment for this. It cannot be tolerated.

Carder was selected in the fifth round of this year’s NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. He was signed by the Browns in September. He has recorded five tackles this season, including two against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

You can reach the Cleveland Browns via Twitter. The NFL and NFLPA are also there.

Hat tip to Jenn Rubenstein.

Ed. note - Monday evening, after the original Outsports.com story had been published, Carder tweeted this apology: