Matt Leinart, a former University of Southern California football star, quarterback, and Heisman Trophy winner, expressed frustration with Los Angeles’s newest COVID-19 restrictions.
“LA just closed all dining INDOOR/OUTDOOR for 3 weeks,” Leinert said in a since-deleted tweet Sunday. “Can’t wait to move out of this awful place. Ridiculous.”
As the country faces a potentially devastating third wave of the pandemic with the holiday season fast approaching, former USC quarterback Matt Leinart appeared to reach a breaking point over COVID-19 regulations meant to mitigate the spread of the virus. pic.twitter.com/D6AxaPG1vK
— L.A. Times Sports (@latimessports) November 23, 2020
“People are going to lose their jobs again,” he tweeted. “Small business shutting down.”
People going to lose their jobs again. Small business shutting down.
— Matt Leinart (@MattLeinartQB) November 23, 2020
Leinart’s comments drew many angry replies, which the former quarterback dismissed as coming from “lefties.”
Lefties ??♂️
— Matt Leinart (@MattLeinartQB) November 23, 2020
In another response to critics, Leinart insisted he does his part to stop the spread and called those disagreeing with him “bullies.”
“I wear a mask. I go to the grocery store. I cook my own food,” he said. “I have a wife and kids. My dad is high risk and we are careful. You all are too much! Stop being bullies!”
I wear a mask. I go to the grocery store. I cook my own food. I have a wife and kids. My dad is high risk and we are careful. You all are too much! Stop being bullies! ??♂️???✌?:)
— Matt Leinart (@MattLeinartQB) November 23, 2020
Leinart’s wife, actress Josie Loren, defended her husband’s comments while praising his dedication to cooking family meals.
“Actually if it wasn’t for @MattLeinartQB we’d never have a home-cooked-meal,” she said on Twitter. “He’s the house cook and cooks ALL the time so we don’t have to get our meals elsewhere. Just frustrated that our governor can eat indoors with a crowd of people but shuts down businesses that are already struggling.”
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced a host of new restrictions Sunday, including a ban on all in-person dining.
“As new COVID-19 cases remain at alarming levels and the number of people hospitalized continue to increase, the LA County Health Officer Order will be modified to restrict dining at restaurants, breweries, wineries and bars, effective Wednesday, November 25 at 10:00 p.m.,” the Los Angeles County Twitter account posted.
The new order takes effect Wednesday at 10 p.m., which caused worry among local businesses ahead of the important holiday season rush.
“Spoke to restaurant owners in LA on this latest lockdown. They had spent thousands making outdoor dining feasible,” KTLA reporter Christina Pascucci said on Twitter. “They had prepped for Thanksgiving week, one of their biggest nights for business of the year. This is devastating for them. His one question: where is the science?”
