Rush Limbaugh, nationally-syndicated radio talk show host and sports commentator
for ESPN, resigned from ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown”
on October 1 after receiving criticism for comments he made about Philadelphia
Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.
Limbaugh joined “Sunday
NFL Countdown” this season as a studio analyst. During the September
28th show, he made the following statements about the struggling quarterback:
“I think what we’ve
had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very
desirous that a black quarterback do well. They’re interested in
black coaches and black quarterbacks doing well. I think there is a little
hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of the credit for the performance
of this team that he didn’t deserve. The defense carried this team.”
McNabb, who is off to the worst
start of his career, addressed the issue at a press conference on October
1.
“It’s pretty heavy,”
McNabb said. “It’s something that I have been going through
ever since high school. You figure it would have been over by now...I’m
sure he’s not the only one that feels that way, but it’s somewhat
shocking to actually hear it on national TV.”
Following Limbaugh’s
resignation, George Bodenheimer, President of ABC and ESPN, said, “We
regret the circumstances surrounding this. We believe that he took the
appropriate action to resolve this matter expeditiously." |