Jewish NFL Star Julian Edelman Writes Letter to Meyers Leonard After NBA Player Used Anti-Semitic Slur

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New England Patriots star Julian Edelman, who is Jewish, published an open letter to Miami Heat player Meyers Leonard after the NBA center was recorded using an anti-Semitic slur while hosting a video game stream this week.

During a Twitch stream of the online multiplayer game Call of Duty, Leonard was heard calling another player a series of expletives, including an offensive term that is considered a slur about people of the Jewish faith. The video was recorded on Monday but went viral on social media a day later, with Leonard's comments receiving criticism from the Anti-Defamation League and the Heat, who announced he would be "away" from the team "indefinitely."

Leonard later posted an apology to his Instagram page, saying that he did not know the meaning of the slur he used, or that it was offensive to the Jewish community.

Edelman shared his letter to Leonard on social media on Wednesday morning, inviting the basketball player to have dinner with him during Shabbat, a Jewish day of rest that lasts from Friday to Saturday night.

"So we've never met, I hope we can one day soon. I'm sure you've been getting lots of criticism for what you said," Edelman began his message. "Not trying to add to that, I just want to offer some perspective."

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"I get the sense that you didn't use that word out of hate, more out of ignorance," 34-year-old Edelman wrote. "Most likely, you weren't trying to hurt anyone or even profile Jews in your comment. That's what makes it so destructive. When someone intends to be hateful, it's usually met with great resistance. Casual ignorance is harder to combat and has greater reach, especially when you command great influence. Hate is like a virus. Even accidentally, it can rapidly spread."

RELATED: Miami Heat Says Meyers Leonard Will Be 'Away from the Team Indefinitely' After Using Anti-Semitic Slur

This isn't the first time Edelman has reached out to a fellow athlete regarding anti-Semitism. Last year, Edelman responded to NFL star DeSean Jackson after the latter wrote anti-Semitic social media posts.

"I'm proud of my Jewish heritage and for me, it's not just about religion. It's about community and culture as well," Edelman said at the time, according to CNN. "Anti-Semitism is one of the oldest forms of hatred. It's rooted in ignorance and fear."

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In Leonard's message following the incident, he apologized to the family of Heat owner, Mickey Arison, who is Jewish.

"I am deeply sorry for using the anti-Semitic slur during a livestream yesterday. While I didn't know what the word meant at the time, my ignorance about its history and how offensive it is to the Jewish community is absolutely not an excuse and I was just wrong," he wrote. "I am now more aware of its meaning and I am committed to properly seeking out people who can help educate me about this type of hate and how we can fight it."

"I acknowledge and own my mistake and there's not running from something like this that is so hurtful to someone else," Leonard continued. "This is not a proper representation of who I am and I want to apologize to the Arisons, my teammates, coaches, front office, and everyone associated with the Miami Heat organization, to my family, to our loyal fans and to others in the Jewish community I have hurt."

Leonard ended his apology saying he promised to "do better and know that my future actions will be ore powerful that my use of this word."