Kansas City Chiefs RB Thomas Jones Weighs In On The Rashard Mendenhall Controversy

Kansas City Chiefs RB Thomas Jones recently sat down with Edge of Sports host Dave Zirin to talk about Rashard Mendenhall's remarks in the wake of Osama Bin Laden's death. In case you missed it, in the wake of Bin Laden's death, Mendenhall tweeted out some rather controversial remarks:

What kind of person celebrates death? It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side... We'll never know what really happened. I just have a hard time believing a plane could take a skyscraper down demolition style. I believe in God. I believe we're ALL his children. And I believe HE is the ONE and ONLY judge. Those who judge others, will also be judged themselves. For those of you who said you want to see Bin Laden burn in hell and piss on his ashes, I ask how would God feel about your heart? There is not an ignorant bone in my body. I just encourage you to #think

Naturally, Mendenhall has been taking a lot of flack for his tweets. Dave Zirin asked Jones to chime in on the situation and TJ did so like the veteran, low-key football player he is. 

Zirin asked him, "What would you say to fans out there in terms of having a little bit of patience if an athlete has an opinion?"

Thomas Jones' response could be advice for any player who decides to speak their mind in a public forum:

"As an athlete, you have to understand the position you're in. We're normal like everyone else. We have God-given ability just like everyone else and our God-given ability is to play football. We're in the spotlight a lot of times. Anything you say or do is going to be magnified times ten.

"If I, God forbid, get a DUI, I'm the worst person in the world. But if Joe Blow off the street gets a DUI, then, 'Hey, you made a mistake.' Like I said before, it's a gift and a curse. There's a lot that comes with having money and fame and success.

"If you want to express yourself, that's fine. You can express yourself however you feel. But just be ready for what comes with that. And for me personally, I'm a more low-key guy. I go to work, I play football, I do my job. When the season's over, I lay low. That's where I'm comfortable and a lot of that has to do with where I come from as well. 

"But I don't know a guy for trying to express himself for how he feels. As long as he understands that whatever he says, or whatever he Tweets, or has on Facebook,  or however he communicates his thoughts, the fact that he's in the public eye and the fact that everyone's watching him, he's going to be under more scrutiny than the average person."

Listen to the full interview here.