Former Broncos star Derek Wolfe slaying mountain lion upsets NFL fans 

Derek Wolfe played nine seasons in the NFL and was loved by fans for his performances on the field. However, some fans have become unhappy with the former defensive lineman's recent actions.

Wolfe hunted a mountain lion in the mountains of Colorado. A spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) noted that Wolfe did all that was necessary to shoot the lion legally.

However, many NFL fans are still upset that Wolfe shot a wild animal.

Caution: Tweets contain the use of expletives.

On his The Drive podcast, Derek Wolfe said he did nothing wrong, explaining, as he did in his initial post about the kill, that the male mountain lion was a menace to neighboring communities before its death.

Wolfe said:

"He was hiding under this lady's porch down the road. She told us, 'Please get rid of him. He killed my dog last year.'

"I love hunting deer and elk, and mountain lions kill deer and elk, and mature male mountain lions kill the cubs of female mountain lions to get them to go back into heat. I feel like I am doing my part by taking care of some of these Toms. It is not easy."

Wolfe said he shot and killed the mountain lion with a bow and arrow after an hour-long hunt for the animal. He noted that the mountain lion was massive, weighing around 200 pounds and covering his own six-foot-five body frame.

---

Derek Wolfe and his NFL career

Wolfe played eight of his nine seasons with the Denver Broncos, winning a Super Bowl in the 2015 season. He signed with the Baltimore Ravens ahead of the 2020 season, which was his last in the league up to this point. Overall, Derek Wolfe amassed 34 sacks, 350 tackles, and a forced fumble in 122 career games.