Commanders DC tries to explain tweet about Capitol insurrection

Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio defended a recent tweet comparing the protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd to the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

When asked Wednesday about how players might react to it, Del Rio said he was asking a“simple question”why the summer 2020 protests were not receiving the same scrutiny.

“People’s livelihoods are being destroyed, businesses are being burned down, no problem,”del Rio said.“and then we have a dust-up at the Capitol, nothing burned down, and we’re going to make that a major deal. I just think it’s kind of two standards.”

His comments followed a post to Twitter on Monday night in which he said,“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 ???”He was responding to a tweet about the Jan. 6 hearings.

Del Rio and coach Ron Rivera say they aren’t concerned how that opinion will go over among players, many of whom are Black and spoke out about police brutality and racism in the wake of Floyd’s killing two years ago.

“If they are and they want to talk about it, I’d talk about it with anybody,”said Del Rio, 59, who has posted conservative opinions to his verified Twitter account numerous times since joining Washington’s staff in 2020.

Cornerback Kendall Fuller, who is Black, said he was not aware of the tweet. After a reporter read it, Fuller said:“i don’t have a reaction right now. If I have a reaction, a feeling, towards something, I’ll express that with him.”