June 03, 2020 12:34 PM UTC

We Apologize For Vic Fangio

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• by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE: Fangio apologizes. Via ESPN:

Denver Broncos coach Vic Fangio said Wednesday his remarks about racism and discrimination in the NFL were “wrong” and he apologized, saying in a statement, “I should have been more clear and I am sorry.”

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ESPN reports while Denver Broncos fans hang their heads in shame for something other than the 2019 season:

Denver Broncos coach Vic Fangio called George Floyd’s death while in police custody a “societal issue that we all have to join in to correct,” but he said he doesn’t see discrimination or racism as problems overall in the NFL.

“I think our problems in the NFL along those lines are minimal. We’re a league of meritocracy. You earn what you get, you get what you earn. I don’t see racism at all in the NFL, I don’t see discrimination in the NFL,” Fangio told reporters Tuesday when asked about his experiences in the league over the past four decades. “We all live together, joined as one, for one common goal, and we all intermingle and mix tremendously. If society reflected an NFL team, we’d all be great.”

Seattle Seahawks running back Chris Carson took exception to Fangio’s view of the league, calling the Broncos coach “a joke” in a tweet Tuesday night. Seahawks teammate Quandre Diggs also weighed in on Twitter, asking, “Is he blind??”

Six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Terrell Owens fired back via Twitter:

“I don’t see racism at all in the NFL, I don’t see discrimination in the NFL” -Vic Fangio @nfl 🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️
HE NEEDS TO BE DRUG TESTED!!! What does he think that was against @Kaepernick7?!!

— Terrell Owens (@terrellowens) June 3, 2020

We would think this goes without saying, but apparently it does not. But yes, it’s not just you, the present day is a horrendously bad moment to declare any American institution to be free of racism–and after the infamous treatment of former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and other players who have used their celebrity status to call for social change, Broncos head coach Vic Fangio should have been able to see this blowback coming like it was in a playbook stolen by the New England Patriots.

And doesn’t John Elway always say football people should focus on the game?

The Broncos 7-9 season last year makes a strong argument for that in Fangio’s case.