Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid on Tuesday blasted the the NFL for being more concerned with “deflategate” than the Washington Redskins’ “racist” name.
“The Redskins name is a racist name,” Mr. Reid said on the Senate floor, The Hill reported.
“I find it stunning that the National Football League is more concerned about how much air is in a football than with a racist franchise name that denigrates Native Americans across the country,” he said.
An investigation found that the New England Patriots used under-inflated footballs in the AFC championship game last year, and that quarterback Tom Brady was at least “generally aware” of the scheme. The Patriots were fined $1 million and forced to give up two draft picks, and Mr. Brady received a four-game suspension without pay. Mr. Brady’s agent blasted the punishment and promised to appeal the decision.
Mr. Reid, an outspoken critic of the Washington Redskins’ name, said he wished NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell would “act as swiftly and decisively in changing the name of the D.C. team as he did about not enough air in a football.”
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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