ASHBURN — Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio addressed the team Tuesday prior to practice, apologizing again for comments in which he referred to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol as a “dust-up.”
The veteran NFL coach, who in the past has been unabashed in his support of former President Donald Trump, has been in hot water since making the “dust-up” comment last week while he was trying to defend an earlier remark comparing the pro-Trump riot of Jan. 6, 2021, to the racial justice protests that erupted nationwide in the wake of the 2020 murder of George Floyd.
The coach’s political musings drew fierce pushback from across the sports landscape, especially among former players and media figures who contend Del Rio’s attempts to equate the Jan. 6 riot and the George Floyd protests were racially insensitive, if not outright offensive.
The backlash led to Del Rio’s boss, coach Ron Rivera hitting him with a $100,000 fine on Friday.
On Tuesday, Rivera said his coordinator was “forthright” and “contrite” in his speech, adding Del Rio welcomed any questions. Rivera said Del Rio also met with individual players privately. Defensive tackle Jonathan Allen noted that Del Rio’s speech lasted 10 to 15 minutes.
“It was well-received, and we’ll see,” Rivera said. “But our intent is to go forward.”
Speaking to reporters for the first time since fining Del Rio, Rivera said the punishment was necessary because of “the impact made on our football team and the distraction that it has become.”
Rivera repeatedly insisted that he respects the First Amendment and Del Rio’s right to share his opinions. But Rivera — who was hired in part to put the focus back on football in an organization that has been plagued for years by off-the-field controversies — noted that “these freedoms come with tremendous responsibility and we have to understand that as well.”
Rivera’s decision to fine Del Rio drew sharp criticism from across the political spectrum. Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed tweeted the punishment for Del Rio was “not enough,” while former NFL coach Jeff Fisher urged Rivera to keep his mouth shut. Fox News’ Tucker Carlson blasted Rivera as a “fascist moron.”
Rivera dismissed the critics, telling a reporter “that’s fine” when asked for a response.
Del Rio’s players said last week that the controversial comments would not be a lingering issue for the Commanders, though Allen acknowledged there have been locker-room conversations on the issue.
“I feel like everybody makes mistakes,” Allen said. “I’m not here to judge. I’m not here to condemn. Obviously (Del Rio) said something he should not have said. He owned it to the team like a man, and I mean, that’s all you can ask for.”
Del Rio’s speech marked at least the second time he apologized for the comments. Last week, hours after meeting with reporters, he sent out a tweet in which he said referring to Jan. 6 as a dust-up was “irresponsible and negligent.”
Del Rio opted to delete his Twitter account over the weekend, a day after he was fined by Rivera.
Rivera emphasized that Del Rio deleted the account on his own, adding he didn’t pressure him to do so. Rivera said that decision was something Del Rio mentioned to his players in the meeting.
Asked if he told Del Rio that he was on his last strike, Rivera said he didn’t and noted their conversations would remain private.
“I’m about reconciliation,” Rivera said. “I think not just this football team but this community. We have to understand that when we do things like this, it impacts the community as well. We’ve got to make sure the community understands that we understand and we get it. That’s important.”
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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