Washington Commanders vice president of content Rael Entine was secretly filmed during a date with an undercover reporter making racist remarks about the team’s players, fans, hip-hop music and the franchise’s social justice efforts.
The offending comments were later posted online and published by a UK-based Daily Mail, Entine has reportedly been fired.
The reporter was affiliated with O’Keefe Media, a right-wing organization whose mission is to expose wrongdoing, corruption and liberal views among celebrities, corporate executives and government officials.
They do this both through “citizen journalism” and through what they call the “American Swiper” program, in which undercover reporters follow individuals using dating apps and record them posing as potential romantic partners and commenting on potentially controversial or hotly contested political topics.
Entine, who worked for the Commanders for four years, told an undercover reporter that the team’s roster was “predominantly made up of very low-income African-American players from communities that are inherently homophobic.”
He claimed hip hop music was “homophobic”, adding: “It’s a cultural thing so hopefully it will get better.”
Entine claimed that 50% of Commanders’ registered members were white, religious people, and homophobic because of their religious beliefs that oppose homosexuality.
About a quarter of Commanders’ members are white, but it’s unclear whether all of them hold anti-LGBTQ beliefs.
As well as making accusations of homophobia, Entine also claimed many of the Commanders’ players were “stupid” and appeared to suggest that head injuries suffered whilst playing could impair their mental capacity.
This is an especially controversial statement given the NFL’s struggle with CTE, a progressive degenerative disease that affects players who have suffered repeated concussions or traumatic brain injuries.
“There’s definitely a spectrum,” he told his “date.” [players] Some kids are really dumb, some kids are really smart, and some kids start out smart, but then get hurt so badly in the head that they never become smart again, which I think is a sad but true reality.”
Entine attacked NFL fans, calling them “mouth breathers” and characterizing them as “violent,” pointing to incidents of fans getting into fights in the stands during games.
“I think most NFL fans are high school educated alcoholics,” he said.
Entine slammed the NFL’s social justice efforts, such as its efforts to uplift the Black community, its support for LGBTQ initiatives and Pride events, and its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, as “performative” and an attempt at publicity.
“To make as much money as possible,” he said.
Entine has accused Roger Goodell of being a “$50 million puppet” and suggested the NFL commissioner is controlled by team owners, particularly Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, and claims that Jones actually orchestrates Goodell’s actions.
But he also alleged that Jones harbors racist and homophobic prejudices, saying: “I think he hates gay people and he hates black people.”
After the video of Enteen’s comments was released publicCommanders suspended him pending an internal investigation but then fired him.
The commanders also said “the language used in the video is counter to our values.”
The dispute comes a year after Dan Snyder sold the franchise after more than two decades as owner and ongoing feuds with NFL executives, minority groups, local government officials, the media and fans disappointed by his business decisions.
During Snyder’s tenure, the team has changed 27 starting quarterbacks and 10 head coaches, finishing third or fourth in the division and often missing the postseason.
Off the field, the team frequently faced criticism from liberals over its previous name, the Redskins, which they deemed racist. Snyder resisted changing the name for years, but ultimately dropped the plan in 2020 after facing increased scrutiny over racism and other social justice issues in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.
Snyder also $60 million fine The NFL alleged that he sexually harassed employees and concealed millions of dollars in revenue from other teams.
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Source: Metro Weekly – www.metroweekly.com
