Death threats on Twitter forced San Francisco 49ers placekicker David Akers to close his account on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013.
Multiple death threats were tweeted about Akers in late December, something he took very seriously.
He reported it to the team and NFL security personnel and then decided to close his Twitter account down to avoid further issues.
Akers, 38, is not clear how many death threats he actually received last month because he closed his account without going back through all of the tweets that called for his death.
The 49ers placekicker tells USA Today, "I hadn't been on there for weeks, so I didn't go back and look at any old ones after that. I don't take anything lightly. You really can't. I went through the proper people and what they felt like was safe."
Akers hasn't fared all that well this season; he is 29 for 42 on field goals. Fans weren't thrilled with his performance on the field and apparently decided that death threats on Twitter were the answer.
When it comes to football, David Akers says he takes his job "seriously," and knows that when he misses kicks he not only lets his team down, but the fans as well.
Death threats on Twitter seem to be the norm these days, especially with disgruntled fans. Gone are the days that sports fans used to express their discontent with a player -- by simply booing.
Source: USA Today
