The NFL and the Vikings have issued statements regarding messages sent to Vikings running back Alexander Mattison on social media after Thursday night’s loss to the Eagles.
Mattison shared screenshots of DMs referring to him with racial slurs and telling him to kill himself after he lost a fumble in the 34-28 loss. Mattison called the messages “unacceptable” and both the league and the team condemned the messages.
“The NFL strongly condemns the racist comments directed towards Alexander Mattison online after last night’s game. Such hateful behavior is completely unacceptable in the NFL or anywhere else. We stand firmly with Alexander and remind fans to remember the humanity of all players and celebrate their contributions to the game we all love,” the NFL said in a statement.
“We are sickened by the hatred and racial slurs directed toward Alexander Mattison following last night’s game,” the Vikings statement said. “There simply is no room for racist words or actions in sports or society. The Vikings will continue to fight to eliminate hate, to educate and to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community that respects and values our unique backgrounds. We stand with Alexander and all players who, unfortunately, experience this type of ignorant and prejudicial behavior, and we ask our fans to continue to fight to eliminate racism.”
