Watch CBS News

49ers Suspend Radio Analyst For Comments On Ravens QB Jackson's 'Dark Skin Color'

SANTA CLARA (CBS SF) — The San Francisco 49ers have suspended a radio color analyst for remarks he made about Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson regarding the player's "dark skin color," the team confirmed Wednesday.

WATCH: CBSN Bay Area – 24/7 Digital News Channel from KPIX 5

In an interview with 49ers radio station KNBR on Monday, radio analyst Tim Ryan said Jackson's ability to fake handoffs and run the ball as a mobile quarterback was because of his "dark skin color with a dark football with a dark uniform."

The Niners lost 20-17 to the Ravens the day before.

49ers radio analyst Tim Ryan

"He's really good at that fake, Lamar Jackson, but when you consider his dark skin color with a dark football with a dark uniform, you could not see that thing," Ryan said on air. "I mean you literally could not see when he was in and out of the mesh point."

In a statement, the 49ers explained their reasoning for suspending Ryan for the upcoming game and said they were "disappointed" in his actions.

"We hold Tim to a high standard as a representative of our organization and he must be more thoughtful with his words. 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," the team said.

Ryan apologized for his comments.

"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," Ryan said in a statement.

The San Francisco Chronicle first reported the suspension.

 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.