Some Twitter users blasted NFL legend Mike Ditka as a racist and even suggested he’s a Ku Klux Klan member, following his comments on not supporting players who kneel during the national anthem.
The former football player and coach was interviewed by TMZ over the weekend and said that kneeling during the national anthem to protest systemic racism and police brutality is unpatriotic.
“If you can’t respect our national anthem, get the hell out of the country,” Ditka said during the interview about a new women’s tackle football league. “That’s the way I feel. Of course, I’m old-fashioned, so I’m only going to say what I feel.”
“You don’t protest against the flag, and you don’t protest against this country who’s given you the opportunities to make a living playing a sport that you never thought would happen,” he added. “So, I don’t want to hear all the crap.”
One high-level sports agent suggested that Ditka is in the Ku Klux Klan following his comments.
“This doesn’t surprise me at all. Mike Dikta traded his helmet in for a white hood as soon as he retired from football. Racism hiding behind faux patriotism is still racism,” NFL agent David Mulugheta wrote, alluding to the KKK.
This doesn’t surprise me at all. Mike Dikta traded his helmet in for a white hood as soon as he retired from football. Racism hiding behind faux patriotism is still racism. ??♂️ https://t.co/0wRTpyfMhB
— David Mulugheta (@DavidMulugheta) July 26, 2020
Others also criticized his comments.
A few years ago Mike Ditka actually said, “there has been no oppression in the last 100 years that I know of.” This coming from a guy who played in the 60s when discrimination was so bad there was an all-star game boycott. Please feel free to permanently ignore anything he says.
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) July 26, 2020
Mike Ditka is a Dicka. https://t.co/LW77NBxKAx
— Chip Franklin (@chipfranklin) July 26, 2020
F—k Trump
F—k Barr
F—k Tucker
F—k Hannity
F—k Alex Jones
F—k QAnon
F—k you if you support them.
And f—k Mike Ditka who says kneeling athletes need to “get the hell out of the country”. No, Mike, YOU hate America and it’s YOU who needs to get the hell out of OUR country, bitch https://t.co/ZU1tOBtAbp— Alex Skolnick (@AlexSkolnick) July 27, 2020
New Orleans’ contributions to the world are many and great, including food, cocktails, jazz, architecture, hospitality, general je ne sais quoi and the Saints firing Mike Ditka https://t.co/IHuiK7XBhY
— Kevin Allman (@KevinAllman) July 26, 2020
Dear Mike Ditka: I’m a US Marine who served this Nation with his life. Yet I’ve NEVER felt it my place to tell anyone to “get the hell out of the country.” Let that sink in.
PS: Athletes kneel to raise awareness for racial injustice. And you’re exactly one of the reasons why. https://t.co/FEibCZsrwE
— MuslimMarine (@mansoortshams) July 26, 2020
Mike Ditka is a joke. The world passed him by a long time ago. But he’s going to show up and vote, which is why you have to show up and vote.
— Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) July 26, 2020
If you can’t respect the tradition of non-violent protest enshrined in our Bill of Rights, Mike Ditka, then get the hell out of the country…https://t.co/gUSK4JzC6O
— Michael E. Mann (@MichaelEMann) July 26, 2020
President Trump has also repeatedly denounced kneeling during the national anthem ahead of sports games and even said he’d turn games off if players kneel.
“Looking forward to live sports, but any time I witness a player kneeling during the National Anthem, a sign of great disrespect for our Country and our Flag, the game is over for me!” he tweeted ahead of Major League Baseball’s opening weekend.
