Former Super Bowl champion Rashard Mendenhall sparked controversy with a recent social media post proposing an “All-Black vs. All-White bowl” instead of the annual Pro Bowl. The former Pittsburgh Steelers running back, who won a Super Bowl in 2009, expressed frustration with “average white guys” commenting on football.
In his post, which has since been viewed over 15 million times, Mendenhall wrote, “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.”
Mendenhall did not specify which white NFL analysts he was targeting his comments toward. However, his post sparked a wave of reactions, with some praising his bold stance and others criticizing his divisive suggestion.
The former Steeler’s outburst followed a separate post in which he defended current coach Mike Tomlin and the team’s performance after their loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. In the post, Mendenhall questioned how people could criticize Tomlin’s playoff record without acknowledging that quarterback Kenny Pickett had only played for one year.
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
He then took a shot at former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, questioning how people could separate Tomlin’s success from Roethlisberger’s contributions to the team’s losses in playoffs.
Mendenhall’s proposal for an “All-Black vs. All-White bowl” immediately drew comparisons to the infamous “Black vs. White” basketball game organized by CBS in 1971, which sparked backlash and accusations of racism. Critics argue that segregating players based on race in a professional league perpetuates harmful and outdated stereotypes.
Many social media users also pointed out the irony of Mendenhall’s comments coming from a former athlete who fumbled the ball in the Super Bowl, costing his team the game. His drop, which took place in 2011 during Super Bowl XLV against the Green Bay Packers, has been the subject of criticism and jokes for years.
Critics of Mendenhall argued that if he couldn’t hold onto the football in the biggest game of his career, he had no right to suggest changes to the Pro Bowl format.
Following the backlash, Mendenhall issued a statement defending his post, stating that his intention was not to divide, but to bring attention to the issue of race in the NFL. He apologized if his words offended anyone and clarified that his post was not meant to be taken literally.
Mendenhall’s proposal for an “All-Black vs. All-White bowl” may have sparked conversation and debate, but his controversial remarks have once again brought to light the ongoing issue of race in professional sports. While his intent may have been to address the topic, his words have ignited a firestorm of criticism and reminded us of the importance of diversity and unity in the sports world.
