Does Endorsing a Politician Hurt an Athlete's Brand?

Recently, we've seen NFL players come out and support presidential candidates prior to their respective primaries in South Carolina.

Just a week ago, former USC great Connor Shaw and Cleveland Browns quarterback threw his support behind Florida Senator Marco Rubio.

.@marcorubio sees @JohnKasich's Clemson star QB Tajh Boyd endorsement, matches him w/ endorsement from USC star QB Connor Shaw

— Phil Mattingly (@Phil_Mattingly) February 17, 2016

Even more recently, it was announced that former Gamecocks wide receiver and current Chicago Bears star Alshon Jeffery would be backing Hillary Clinton.

While it's probably not the first time something like this has happened, it's a breath of fresh air to see younger athletes entering the political landscape and urge citizens to go out and vote. However, these two are not politicians. They're football players. And like any other athlete, they essentially own their own brand. So, does stepping out into the political arena hurt an athletes who has thousands and thousands of fans?

You could look at it two ways...

First, let's look at it from this perspective. An athlete could easily win over more "fans" who really don't pay much (or any) attention to their respective sport or their individual performance with the team they're signed with. It could be a way to get your name out there even more and provide just a little more of a buzz for yourself from a social media standpoint as well. In a sense, it could be marketing genius at its finest.

However, it could also be a disaster waiting to happen. A well-loved athlete in a big city could also easily lose fans for backing a candidate. Think about it. In a sense, your endorsement would say "My belief's are his or her beliefs. My stance on this issue is his or hers." It could be seen that way. An athlete easily become disliked, hated, or even painted as a villain over a decision of this magnitude.

Alshon, WHAT THE HELL???? Hillary? Could've sworn u were smarter than that ya big dummy

— Mike D (@MikeDBears34) February 26, 2016

I'm not saying what either of these guys did was or wasn't right. However, I am saying an athlete could essentially have a "public relations fire" or two to put out over making an announcement like that.

Just my thoughts...