On Friday, per the team, Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera announced that defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio would be fined $100,000 for his recent comments in which Del Rio attempted to create a false equivalency between the mostly peaceful protests in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, and the actions of several supporters of former President Donald Trump, who stormed the Capitol Building on January 6, 2021.
Rivera’s statement:
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) June 10, 2022
In a response to a recent Brookings Institute article on the hearings, Del Rio had an… interesting response.
Would love to understand “the whole story “ about why the summer of riots, looting, burning and the destruction of personal property is never discussed but this is ???#CommonSense
— Jack Del Rio (@coachdelrio) June 7, 2022
When asked if his players would respond negatively to his views, Del Rio had this to say (per Ben Standig of The Athletic:
The insurrection was far more than a “dust-up,” and the current hearings are bringing more facts to light in that regard.
Del Rio eventually apologized for his comments, but that wasn’t enough for Maryland politicians, who seem to have taken what Del Rio said, matched with all the ways in which this franchise has embarrassed itself in recent years, and tabled any hope of a new Commanders stadium.
Jack Del Rio’s comments could be “nail in the coffin” for Commanders’ stadium bill
Yup. Just sealed the deal to cast my vote as a NO. I think what’s burning down today is the stadium bill. #Commanders https://t.co/ay2eATAqh7
— Jeremy McPike ☮️ 🇺🇦 (@JeremyMcPike) June 8, 2022
Virginia Senator Jeremy McPike appeared on Washington D.C.’s “Grant and Danny Show” on Wednesday, and laid it all out for everybody to hear.
“If that was the case and it was just him, but it’s not,” McPike said. “And you guys have covered this and it is plenty of other stuff going on unfortunately in the organization that it creates a lot of questions. Not only that, as you remember the last time we talked I said my number one issue is traffic and transportation. I have not heard anything about how they’re gonna deal with it. And so I said I’d listen.
“I met with (Commanders President) Jason Wright after we talked on the show last time. I met with him last week. And frankly, I was also scheduled to sit down with him tomorrow, but that’s off. I’m not going. It’s just done. I mean there’s too much stuff going on in the organization, too many unanswered questions. I mean, they’ve got to get it together.
“I’m a lifelong fan. I love, love seeing football, and good football, and I said last time, I’ll say it again: I believe in Ron and I think they’re gonna have a good season, but dang, I mean how many distractions can you put on the table at once?”
In a global sense, McPike believed that the franchise has become too toxic for any such endorsement to be considered.
“I think at this point, I don’t think there ever will be a vote. I think they’re gonna be counting heads on the numbers, the number of people voting yes or no, and my guess is the vote’s probably off the table.
“I think this is the nail in the coffin. I think you’re gonna see more legislators now that have already been cooling off to it just shake their heads and walk away. I think that’s where we’re at now.”
The NAACP has called for the Commanders to fire Del Rio.
“It is time for Jack Del Rio to resign or be terminated,” NAACP President Derrick Johnson said in a statement Thursday. “His comments could not have been more offensive and ignorant. The January 6th insurrection — an attempted coup — was far from a ‘dust-up.’ Each day we learn more and more on just how close our democracy came to autocracy. Downplaying the insurrection by comparing it to nationwide protests, which were in response to a public lynching, is twisted. You can’t coach a majority Black team while turning your back on the Black community. It’s time for you to pack up and step off the field.”
The Fritz Pollard Alliance, which works with the NFL to promote minority hiring, also released a statement from President Rod Graves.
Jack Del Rio’s initial comments regarding the protests of supporters for Black Lives Matter go against the values of the Fritz Pollard Alliance and what the NFL should stand for. The FPA has been working with the NFL to bring about better opportunities and an equitable system for all. The first step to creating progress is to recognize that we’ve been operating on an un-level playing field.
Last season, the Commanders finished 27th in Defensive DVOA despite a roster that was stacked from front to back. As to whether Del Rio will learn from this as Rivera hopes, history is not encouraging.