New York Giants defensive end Leonard Williams went deep seafishing over the weekend.- Williams' prized catch of the day was a giant Bluefin
Tuna . - But then he ripped the heart of the fish and ate it while it was still beating.
Leonard Williams follows some pretty weird fishing rituals.
The New York Giants defensive end went deep sea fishing over the weekend and came away with a pretty impressive prize; his first Bluefin Tuna catch, and it was a giant itself.
But catching the fish and posing with it wasn't enough, as Williams took it a step further by digging into the organs of the tuna.
Williams pulled the fish's heart out while it was still beating, bit into it, chewed it up, and then swallowed it on camera in a video he posted to his Instagram story on Sunday.
-Danny Behan (@DBehan) July 19, 2021
In his story, Williams said that eating the heart is tradition.
He is right, according to some circles.
Eating the heart of a prey was a hunting and fishing tradition in many Native American tribes. It was believed that doing so would allow the hunter to absorb the qualities of the animal, according to Game and Fish Magazine.
However, the stunt did not go over well with animal rights groups.
The Blue Planet Society, a group dedicated to campaigning against the exploitation of the world's oceans, called out Williams on Twitter.
The group claimed that Williams exploited a species listed as endangered on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Williams is an avid angler. Last summer, he went deep sea fishing for the first time. During a training camp press conference, he said fishing helped him develop a new playing mentality, and it led to a career season in 2020 as he recorded 11.5 sacks and made his second Pro Bowl.