Julian Edelman responds to DeSean Jackson's anti-Semitic comments

The New England Patriots receiver is one of the few Jewish players in the NFL and he expressed his pride in his Jewish identity.

"I'm proud of my Jewish heritage and for me, it's not just about religion," Edelman explained. "It's about community and culture as well."

Edelman addressed Jackson's controversial and offensive social media posts, where he misattributed an anti-Semitic quote to Hitler. Rather than condemn Jackson, Edelman took the opportunity to extend an olive branch to the Eagles receiver.

"I know [DeSean] said some ugly things but I do see the opportunity to have a conversation," Edelman said.

While he did not dismiss Jackson outright, he did speak out against the long history of anti-Semitism in the world and shared his own experience with it during his NFL career.

"Anti-Semitism is one of the oldest forms of hatred and it's rooted in ignorance and fear," Edelman explained. "I remember experiencing a little bit of this hatred in 2011 when I was called a k-ke on the football field. There's no room for anti-Semitism in this world."

Edelman also spoke about the Black Lives Matter movement, making it clear that this incident should not take focus away from racial inequality in America.

"Even though we're talking about anti-Semitism, I don't want to distract from how important the Black Lives Matter movement is and how we need to stay behind it," Edelman said.

To end his video, Edelman said he would like to meet with Jackson and discuss their experiences with bigotry. He invited Jackson to the Holocaust Museum and said he would go to the African American Museum of History and Culture with Jackson.

"To that end, DeSean, let's do a deal," Edelman said. "How about we go to D.C. and I take you to the Holocaust Museum, then you take me to the African American Museum of History and Culture. Afterward, we grab some burgers and we have those uncomfortable conversations."