Pittsburgh Steelers Stars’ Ignites Outrage With Racially Insensitive Remarks
The ex-running back advocated having a separate Pro Bowl.
A racialized Pro Bowl that pits an “All-Black” squad against a “All-White” side has been proposed by former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall, sparking an explosion of criticism.
The 2013 NFL retiree and Super Bowl champion recently resorted to social media to voice his dissatisfaction with what he considers to be inadequate football commentary from white people.
On X, Mendenhall penned the following statement.
An absurd idea from Mendenhall
It has drawn a lot of attention and criticism, whether it is a genuine idea or just a joke.
Many have questioned Mendenhall’s motivation for making the comment, particularly in light of his past use of social media to express strong opinions.
The offer sent unmistakable shockwaves across social media, even though it’s still unclear if it was intended as a thought exercise or as a real proposition.
Mendenhall has drawn criticism for his insensitive and polarizing suggestion for racial segregation at football games.
A commentator brought out the irony, pointing out that skill transcends ethnic borders and citing Christian McCaffrey‘s outstanding performance versus the Steelers earlier in the season.
It might be more important to focus on the more important topic of why Mendenhall shared this notion on social media in the first place rather than getting bogged down in his Pro Bowl recommendation.
Mendenhall’s past remarks have been contentious.
Another level of complexity to Mendenhall’s current comments is the fact that he is no new to criticism for voicing unorthodox views, such as questioning Osama bin Laden’s role in 9/11.
After leaving the franchise, Mendenhall’s relationship with the Pittsburgh Steelers and their fan base has become strained.
The focus of his most recent X-rant seems to be the dissatisfaction that Steelers supporters have with head coach Mike Tomlin and his continuous bashing of former quarterback and future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger.
Racial overtones give Mendenhall’s criticism of the Steelers organization and its prominent players a troubling new dimension.
