Brandon Spikes Uses Twitter to Compare Fear of Spiders to Fear of ‘Homosexuals,’ Later Says He Was Joking

Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes is well known for his frequent use of Twitter, taking advantage of the social networking service for everything from blasting the former replacement referees (who don't, in fact, work at Foot Locker) to more typical interactions such as chatting with fans.

This time, however, he may have stepped over the line.

At about 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Spikes took to Twitter to send out an unsolicited opinion on social politics, comparing his fear of spiders to a fear of homosexuals, saying "I'd still scream if I found one in my bathtub!"

Though of course Twitter chatter is protected free speech, that only prevents him from being criminally prosecuted, not sanctioned by his employer. And — much like Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar, who was suspended three games by Major League Baseball for having homophobic slang on his eye black — Spikes is now certainly vulnerable to punishment by the Patriots or the NFL.

A few hours later, after spending much time conversing with and re-tweeting fans and antagonists, Spikes reiterated that his original tweet was intended to be humorous.