Isaiah McKenzie addressed absurd rumor that he killed a bald eagle

Oct 13, 2020; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie (19) runs after a catch during the second half against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

A wild rumor recently spread alleging that Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie was suspended for killing a bald eagle. On Monday, the 28-year-old addressed the speculation.

McKenzie posted a concise and definitive response to the rumors on X.

“It’s 2024 so let [sic] start fresh first things first i did not kill a bald eagle that story is false,” McKenzie said.

It’s 2024 so let start fresh first things first i did not kill a bald eagle that story is false.

— Isaiah McKenzie (@_IsaiahMcKenzie) January 1, 2024

The Colts announced the suspension of McKenzie and cornerback Tony Brown on Dec. 19 for “conduct detrimental to the team.” Both players were suspended for the rest of the season.

The team did not give further details as to what caused the suspension.

A report from ESPN’s Stephen Holder last month stated that the “violations rose to a level where severe punishment was warranted.”

The rumor appears to have originated on Reddit. The top comments from a December Reddit thread about the suspension speculated that McKenzie and Brown were allegedly endangered bird hunters without providing any proof.

The McKenzie-bald eagle fiasco is yet another example of why you shouldn’t believe everything you read on the internet.

McKenzie was Indianapolis’ top punt returner before his suspension. He returned 23 punts for 204 yards across 13 games this season. McKenzie also caught 11 passes for 82 yards.

McKenzie played 5 seasons with the Bills before signing with the Colts in the offseason.