49ers Suspend Broadcaster Tim Ryan For Lamar Jackson 'Dark Skin' Comment
49ers Broadcaster Suspended For Lamar Jackson 'Dark Skin' Remark
The San Francisco 49ers have suspended broadcaster Tim Ryan for one game ... after the ex-NFLer said Lamar Jackson was successful at faking hand-offs because of "his dark skin."
Ryan -- who played with the Chicago Bears from 1990-93 before starting his commentary career -- went on a KNBR radio show to discuss the Niners' 20-17 loss to the Ravens and why the QB is so good.
“He’s really good at that fake, Lamar Jackson," Ryan said. "But, when you consider his dark skin with a dark football with a dark uniform, you could not see that thing."
“I mean you literally could not see when he was in and out of the mesh point and if you’re a half step slow on him in terms of your vision, forget about it, he’s out of the gate.”
Snippet of Tim Ryan’s comments RE: Lamar Jackson’s “dark skin with a dark football with a dark uniform... you could not see that thing” via KNBR. He has since been suspended by the team pic.twitter.com/vpRI3veoXK
— 49ersHive (@49ersHive) December 5, 2019 @49ersHive
Ryan -- who joined the Niners' radio team in 2014 -- later addressed his comment, saying “I regret my choice of words in trying to describe the conditions of the game. Lamar Jackson is an MVP-caliber player and I respect him greatly. I want to sincerely apologize to him and anyone else I offended,"
The Niners released a statement on Wednesday ... announcing he will not be on the radio waves when S.F. takes on the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
“We hold Tim to a high standard as a representative of our organization and he must be more thoughtful with his words," the team said.
"Tim has expressed remorse in a public statement and has also done so with us privately. We know Tim as a man of high integrity and are confident he will grow and learn from this experience.”
