‘Tiger King’ Joe Exotic Asks Ben Roethlisberger for Signed Jersey from Jail
Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has received a bizarre request, as reality television star “Tiger King” Joe Exotic has asked the future Hall of Famer for a signed jersey from prison.
Exotic, the star of Netflix’s widely-popular Tiger King documentary who is currently imprisoned for an attempted murder-for-hire plot against Carole Baskin, requested an autographed jersey from Roethlisberger in a handwritten note posted to his Facebook page.
Here is the full contents of Exotic’s letter to Roethlisberger:
Hey Ben Roethlisberger,
Not sure if you have heard of me or not. It’s Joe Exotic, the Tiger King. As you know, the United States of America has kidnapped me so Carole Baskin and PeTA could try to pass the Big Cat Safety Act because I’m the only one that could educate Congress about why this law should never pass. Anyway, they got my ass in prison for now and I need a favor from you please sir.
I have this amazing stepson named Johnny Graham and I promised him an autographed jersey by you because he thinks you are the shit and he holds you on a pretty big pedestal. There is one on eBay, but I don’t have the $600 to buy it for his birthday. My fans helped get everything else he wanted. I’m just missing your jersey.
Can you help a man out that is fighting for his own freedom? Every kid needs a hero and you are his! If so, just private message and my people will go from there.
With all the respect,
Joe Graham “Joe Exotic”
Exotic is currently serving a 21-year prison sentence.
It seems unlikely Roethlisberger will oblige the request. He never showed an affinity for big cats in his playing career, going 34-13 against the Bengals, Lions and Jaguars. He also runs a foundation that helps police departments support their K-9 units, so he seems like more of a dog person.
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