Long time tension in fan bases is between the players being pros or kids. It is definitely straddled the way the game is managed, but I've always thought it was more appropriate to remember that the players out there are much closer to being kids than pros. That should inform our reactions to them personally. Hard to imagine an anonymous fan going after a player directly. I'm glad I'm not on Twitter or Instagram, and am isolated from all that garbage.
Good luck to him. I hope he gets the strength to share with audiences who really need to hear how their words and attitudes impact players.