President Donald Trump lost a supporter in former NFL head coach and ESPN analyst Rex Ryan.
Ryan spoke out on ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown” regarding Trump’s recent comments about the NFL and its players. Trump has encouraged team owners to release players who protest and fans to boycott the league until the owners do so.
“I’m pissed off,” Ryan said on ESPN. “I’ll be honest with you, because I supported Donald Trump. I sat back, and when he asked me to introduce him at a rally in Buffalo, I did that. But I’m reading these comments, and it’s appalling to me, and I’m sure it’s appalling to almost any citizen of our country. It should be. Calling our players ‘SOBs’ and all that kind of stuff, that’s not the men that I know.
“Men that I know in the locker room, I’m proud of. I’m proud to be associated with those people. I apologize for being pissed off, but guess what? That’s it. Because right away, I’m associated with what Donald Trump stands for.”
Ryan coached for the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills. He was fired by the Bills in December.
Many NFL teams, including Patriots owner Robert Kraft, have denounced Trump’s comments. Many players, including Patriots free safety Devin McCourty and left tackle Nate Solder, also have spoken out.
Thumbnail photo via Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports Images
