It took a while, but ESPN college and NFL analyst Robert Griffin III blasted former Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall for his racist post saying “average white dudes” shouldn’t be able to comment on football and proposing a segregated Pro Bowl.
On Tuesday, Griffin took to X and called Mendenhall a “dumb ass” before saying the third-string All-Black Pro Bowl team would beat the All-White Pro Bowl team by two scores.
“Dear Rashard Mendenhall,” Griffin opened. “Some people joke about how you fumbled in the Super Bowl. But they never got there. They’ll joke about how you have CTE. They may even spend hours putting together an All-White and an All-Black team and try to explain who would win.
Dear @R_Mendenhall pic.twitter.com/0Yl62sEhzF
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) December 20, 2023
“But what they won’t tell you is, this is the tweet of a dumb*ss. Don’t be a dumb*ss. These are prejudiced, discriminatory racial ideologies which set us back centuries. We don’t want to go back to the old times. I don’t want to participate in the segregation bowl.
“Probably wouldn’t even get a shot because Patrick Mahomes would be the quarterback of our team. Yes, he would be on OUR team. And by our team, I mean the All-Blacks because I know a lot of y’all like to joke about what team I’m on because of this guy (Parker) and because my wife is a beautiful Estonian queen.
“But the bottom line is – the third string All-Black team would beat the All-White time by two scores. But honestly, that’s not the point. The truth is that any person of any creed, any race, any color, any background or any gender can give their analysis on football. And give their opinion. It doesn’t mean they’re right. But you also don’t have to listen. So Rashard, don’t be a dumb*ss. And stop staying stupid sh*t.… Hey, but also, when is this game?”
The controversy started earlier this week after Mendenhall posted this on X.
“I’m sick of average white guys commenting on football,” Mendenhall wrote. “Y’all not even good at football. Can we please replace the Pro Bowl with an All-Black vs. All-White bowl so these cats can stop trying to teach me who’s good at football. I’m better than ur goat.”
I’m sick of average white guys commenting on football. Y’all not even good at football. Can we please replace the Pro Bowl with an All-Black vs. All-White bowl so these cats can stop trying to teach me who’s good at football. I’m better than ur goat.
— Rashard Mendenhall (@R_Mendenhall) December 18, 2023
Mendenhall backpedaled quickly after a torrent of backlash on social media.
“Simply tired of being berated by people who arent experts in de game,” Mendenhall wrote. “We jus pretend like I’m the only athlete tired of fans talking trash? You dis upset over a single tweet. What about us? Like me or not, I’m a GREAT in football. This proves my point, u can’t speak on ball alone.”
Simply tired of being berated by people who arent experts in de game. We jus pretend like I’m the only athlete tired of fans talking trash? You dis upset over a single tweet. What about us? Like me or not, I’m a GREAT in football. This proves my point, u can’t speak on ball alone
— Rashard Mendenhall (@R_Mendenhall) December 18, 2023
Follow Dylan Gwinn on X @themightygwinn