Mike Ditka again tells NFL players to "get the hell out" of country after protests |
Former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka is making news once again with provocative comments about the NFL and racial injustice.
"Football's football," Ditka said in an interview with Newsmax TV on Monday. "It's not a complicated thing. You're playing the game, you're enjoying the game. You don't like the game, get out of it." "You play football, that’s it. You’re privileged, you got a gift from God that you can play the game because you got a body you can do it with. I don’t really understand what you’re protesting. I played the game, I coached the game for a long time, and it makes no sense to me. You ought to get down on your hands and knees and thank God every day that you can make the kind of money that you can make playing football, or playing any sport." Ditka continued to talk about his disapproval with NFL players. "I would tell those players go to another country and play football there," he said. "You don't have to come out. You don't have to come out for the anthem if you go to another country. You can't! Because the game's only played in this country. And if you can't respect this country, get the hell out of it." In 2016, Ditka also made headlines when he said quarterback Colin Kaepernick should "get the hell out" of the country for protesting racial inequality during the national anthem. NFL ??: Hall-of-Fame coach Mike Ditka tells protesting players that if 'they can't respect this country, get the hell out of it.' [with Newsmax TV's @ShaunKraisman https://t.co/VlT7z8drtO] pic.twitter.com/E3jPCBrMdt