Last December, NBC Sports anchor Bob Costas used his halftime commentary segment during “Sunday Night Football” to advocate for gun control. The commentary made national news, and Costas went on other programs to explain his reasoning.
On “Sunday Night Football” last night, Costas once again used the platform to talk about a controversial issue: the name of Washington DC’s football, team, the Washington Redskins.
“Objections to names like Braves, Chiefs, Warriors and the like, strike many of us as political correctness run amok–these nicknames honor, rather than demean–they are pretty much the same as Vikings, Patriots or even Cowboys,” Costas said. “But think for a moment about the term Redskins, and how it truly differs from all the others. Ask yourself what the equivalent would be, if directed toward African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, or members of any other ethnic group. When considered that way, Redskins can’t possibly honor a heritage or noble character trait, nor can it possibly be considered a neutral term.
“It is an insult, a slur, no matter how benign the present day intent,” Costas added.
WATCH (warning, video plays automatically):