A former Philadelphia Eagles employee who lost his job over a Facebook post will get two game tickets to an Eagles game from the player whose departure sparked the incident.
Brian Dawkins, whose free agent signing with the Denver Broncos led to Dan Leone's Facebook posting -- and the subsequent loss of his part-time job -- will give his allotment of two tickets to Leone when Denver visits Philly during the 2009 season, according to the Philadelphia Daily News. The game date has yet to be announced, as the 2009 NFL schedule has not been released.
"I thought it'd be a good gesture,'' Dawkins said, according to the Daily News. "Had I not ... signed with Denver, that guy would still have his job."
Leone lost his part-time job as game day west gate chief at Lincoln Financial Field when, following Dawkins' signing, he posted the following message: "Dan is [expletive] devastated about Dawkins signing with Denver ... Dam Eagles R Retarted!!" He deleted the comment, but the team fired him over the phone days later.
The incident garnered national media attention, and Leone even took part in an ESPN SportsNation chat.
"I shouldn't have put it up there," Leone said after the firing, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. "I was ticked off, and I let my emotions go, but I didn't offend any one person or target a specific individual. I was just upset that we lost such a great guy. Dawkins was one of my favorite players. I made a mistake."
While Dawkins may be gone, he hasn't forgotten.
"Obviously, [Leone] made a decision and out of emotion said something," Dawkins said, according to the Daily News. "He was one of probably thousands and thousands of Eagles fans who felt that way. That didn't surprise me, that someone said that on their Facebook. It did surprise me that he was let go, though. That really did surprise me.
"I felt it would be a good thing, to reach out to that individual and just let him know how much I appreciate it.''