Commanders coordinator Jack Del Rio calls Jan. 6 insurrection a ‘dust-up’
Del Rio’s comments were in response to questions related to one of his social media posts this week. The 59-year old veteran football coach has been outspoken on Twitter in each of the three offseasons he has been with the Commanders, often on conservative political issues.
The latest tweet came Monday night in response to a report by the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank, about the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack, which after 11 months and more than 1,000 interviews will begin holding hearings Thursday. Del Rio wrote, “would love to understand ‘the whole story’ about why the summer of riots, looting, burning and the destruction of personal property is never discussed but this is ??? #CommonSense.”
Later on Wednesday Del Rio issued an apology, saying that “referencing that situation as a dust-up was irresponsible and negligent and I am sorry.”
“I stand by my comments condemning violence in communities across the country,” he said in a statement. “I say that while also expressing my support as an American citizen for peaceful protest in our country.”
Del Rio’s comments earlier in the day seem to be at odds with recent racial justice messaging from the NFL and run counter to the way the league and his own team responded to Floyd’s death. In June 2020, Washington Coach Ron Rivera said he would support players who knelt during the national anthem in protest of racial injustice and police brutality, and in August, the head coach canceled a practice to hold a team-wide discussion about racial justice following the shooting of Jacob Blake.
Commanders president Jason Wright has spearheaded the team’s recent efforts to promote racial justice and staff diversity. This has become a theme in the team’s search for a new stadium site, when Maryland officials pointed out the social change the team could make by keeping its venue in majority-Black Prince George’s County. Neither Wright nor a team spokesman responded to a request for comment Wednesday.
Virginia lawmakers are considering legislation meant to entice the Commanders to relocate to Virginia, and some indicated Del Rio’s comments could resonate in Richmond and endanger the stadium efforts. “Just sealed the deal to cast my vote as a NO,” state Sen. Jeremy S. McPike (D-Prince William) tweeted Wednesday. “I think what’s…
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