Thursday, March 28, 2024

Pa. Fire Chief Now Says He’s ‘Embarrassed’ Over Calling Steelers Coach ‘No Good N**ger’

Paul Smith, the chief of Cecil Volunteer Fire Station No. 2 in Washington County, Pa. (L) and Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin
Paul Smith, the chief of Cecil Volunteer Fire Station No. 2 in Washington County, Pa. (L) and Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin

*After the Pittsburgh Steelers stayed in the locker room for the national anthem before their game on Sunday, a Pennsylvania fire chief wrote on Facebook that head coach Mike Tomlin “just added himself to the list of no good n**gers. Yes I said it.”

Several county firefighters saw the post and alerted local Pittsburgh television station Channel 11, which first reported the story and interviewed the chief…who now claims he’s sorry.

“ I am embarrassed at this. I want to apologize. I was frustrated and angry at the Steelers not standing for the anthem. … This had nothing to do with my fire department. I regret what I said,” said Smith who runs the Cecil Township Volunteer Fire Department No. 2.

The Cecil Township board of supervisors told CBS Pittsburgh they were “deeply disturbed” by Smith’s comments, and “in no way, shape or form condone” them.

Tomlin said his decision to keep the team in the locker room for the national anthem in Chicago was to avoid wading into political waters.

“We’re not going to play politics. We’re football players, we’re football coaches. We’re not participating in the anthem today,” Tomlin said. “Not to be disrespectful to the anthem, to remove ourselves from the circumstance. People shouldn’t have to choose. If a guy wants to go about his normal business and participate in the anthem, he shouldn’t be forced to choose sides. If a guy feels the need to do something he shouldn’t be separated from his teammates who chooses not to. So we’re not participating today. That’s our decision.”

We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!

YOU MAY LIKE

SEARCH

- Advertisement -

TRENDING