Lynn Redden, a Texas school superintendent, apologized on Tuesday for racially charged comments he made about Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Redden, Superintendent of Onalaska Independent School District, made a Facebook post saying that you can’t count on a Black quarterback to make the right plays at crucial moments.
“That may have been the most inept quarterback decision I’ve seen in the NFL,” Redden posted following the Texans loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. “When you need precision decision making you can’t count on a black quarterback.”
Redden went on to tell the Houston Chronicle that he didn’t realize it was a public post, thinking he was replying via private message, and subsequently deleted it. He also told the Chronicle that his comments were not meant to be racist and that he was only talking about the lack of statistical success of black quarterbacks in the NFL.
“Over the history of the NFL, they have had limited success,” Redden said.
However, many black quarterbacks have had sensational and hall of fame careers while posting elite statistics and winning close games. Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick and Steve McNair, for example had stellar careers, with McNair winning NFL MVP while McNabb quarterbacked the Philadelphia Eagles to five NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl.
Deshaun Watson is in his second NFL season after finishing a collegiate career at Clemson during which he played in two consecutive national championship games.
Redden has not faced any discipline as of yet for the comments and he said he hopes none of the 1,020 children who go to school in the district saw the post. He said he wishes he had never posted it.
