The San Francisco 49ers suspended radio color commentator Tim Ryan on Wednesday for comments he made about Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson — and many are speaking up in Ryan’s defense.
Ryan said on a Monday KNBR appearance that Jackson’s “dark skin color” coupled with “a dark football and a dark uniform” made it hard for the 49ers defense to read play fakes on zone-read running plays and play-action passing plays.
The comments drew outrage from NFL players including Ravens running back Mark Ingram, Rams running back Todd Gurley and members of the media, but 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman said that while Ryan could have used better phrasing, he was not personally offended by the remarks.