New York Giants defensive lineman A.J. Francis took to Twitter with a series of angry tweets after he claimed the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) went through his suitcase and left an urn containing his mother’s ashes open.
Carrie Leanne Francis died June 26 at the age of 46 according to A.J. Francis’ Instagram account. A.J. Francis spent the past week in Arkansas and California with his family. On Monday, he posted a picture of his clothes covered with what appeared to be ashes.
“Hey you pieces of s*** at @TSA next time you a******* feel the need to go thru my mother’s ashes for no reason, make sure you close it back so her remains aren’t spilled on my clothes…the least you pieces of garbage can do is your f****** job,” Francis tweeted.
TSA, through their Twitter customer service handle AskTSA, apologized to Francis and offered their condolences and attempted to explain what transpired.
“We’re very sorry to hear about this. We understand the emotional stress travelers are under when transporting remains of a loved one. Our policies and procedures focus on ensuring that all passengers are treated with dignity, respect, and courtesy. Our officers are trained to handle your carry-on and checked property with care. Out of respect for the deceased, under no circumstances should the container be opened. Please accepted our apologies and our condolences,” TSA said in the tweet.
Francis did not accept their apology. He continued his verbal assault before telling media outlets that he wouldn’t comment on the situation.
Francis signed with the Giants last month after spending last season with the division rival Washington Redskins. He played in a career high six games for the Redskins with 18 total tackles (five solo). The opportunity to play against the Redskins twice a season was a reason why Francis chose to sign with the Giants. He was released shortly before April’s NFL Draft.
Francis was brought in to provide another body on the line of scrimmage with Josh Mauro, R.J. McIntosh, and Avery Moss sidelined during the team’s mandatory minicamp due to injury (Mauro will also be suspended for the first four games of the regular season for a violation on the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances). He made headlines when he took to social media criticizing the Redskins for “their racist logo”.
Francis was one of the surprises of the spring. He worked his way from the third-team defense to competing with the first-team defense in multiple spots on the defensive line. The Giants are Francis’ seventh NFL stop since entering the league as an undrafted free agent out of Maryland in 2013.
– Curtis Rawls is a Managing Editor for Full Press Coverage and covers the NFL and the New York Giants. Please like and follow on Facebook and Twitter. Curtis can be followed on Twitter @CuRawls203.
