As the Philadelphia Eagles cut wide receiver DeSean Jackson, a story emerged that it was because of his ties to gangs. As the story spread numerous photos were produced of Jackson flashing hand signals that many determined to be gang signs. Jackson has since refuted the claim that he’s tied to any gangs and now he explains what the signals mean.
“If I score a touchdown or make a play and my boys at home can see me throwing up the area we’re from, that’s me showing them love,” Jackson told ESPN The Magazine. “They weren’t fortunate enough to make it where I’m at. All my friends wanted to be in the NFL growing up, but they weren’t able to do that, and I was. That doesn’t mean I forgot about them. They’re my boys, I grew up with them, and I’m going to give them love.”
The NJ.com report about Jackson’s supposed gang affiliations quoted a Los Angeles police detective saying the signs were gang related.
“Those were neighborhood Crip gang signs and he flashed them during a game. He may not be affiliated with the gang, but they don’t [ordinarily] take kindly to those not in the gang throwing up those gang signs,” the detective said.
Jackson’s response is that those may be gang signs to some, but that’s not what they are to him.
