It’s still early in August, but former ESPN host Bomani Jones is already facing backlash from Josh Allen and, well, white people. On his podcast, Jones discussed the upcoming NFL season and made some controversial remarks, suggesting there’s a bias from white fans towards Allen—a bias that he claims people of color don’t have.
He stated, “America’s No. 1 cheering project, the Buffalo Bills… they gave him a new stadium. White people really seem to be anticipating Josh Allen’s eventual rise. It’s not all white people, but it’s definitely a trend. We just don’t understand.” His guest, Deante Lee from Ringer, nodded in agreement, adding, “That’s enough.”
So, what’s that all about?
If you’re curious about what claims or references Jones and Lee were making, you’re not alone. They didn’t provide any specific examples for their argument about alleged racial bias.
Outkick reached out to both for clarification, but as of now, there’s been no response. So, it looks like we might be waiting a while.
Jones has been addressing this issue for quite some time, even alleging that unnamed media figures favor Josh Allen simply because he’s white. He seems to be heavily involved in the narrative battling Allen against Lamar Jackson, consistently siding with Jackson. Just last week, he voiced his concerns about how Jackson faces more scrutiny than Allen.
His stance? The Bills backed Allen and hired him a new head coach, leaving him with no excuses this season. But here’s where it gets a bit tricky: the Ravens also stood by Jackson and brought in a new coach.
What explains the inconsistency? Jones might not have realized that the Ravens parted ways with John Harbaugh and welcomed Jesse Minter. It’s surprising how little he seems to know about the sport beyond its racial dynamics.
In the past, he argued that Matthew Stafford needed to win a Super Bowl to gain entry into the Hall of Fame, calling him, “the new Josh Allen.” He even claimed Stafford was the least critiqued No. 1 overall pick in history, suggesting that unless the Rams clinched the Super Bowl, the Hall of Fame discussions should stop.
Of course, he didn’t seem to register that Stafford had already won a Super Bowl just a couple of years back. He later adjusted his claims saying Stafford would require a second Super Bowl for Hall of Fame consideration, which is puzzling considering only a handful of quarterbacks have achieved that, yet many without multiple championships have made it.
But reality didn’t seem to matter to Jones, who was more focused on discrediting Stafford while promoting Caleb Williams.
He has also labeled Kyler Murray as a superior quarterback compared to Sam Darnold, who just won the Super Bowl last season. You see a pattern here, right?
Jones has expressed skepticism about several quarterbacks but remains confident in the potential of players like Cam Ward, Jaden Daniels, and Dak Prescott. One prediction hints that he might favor Dante Moore over Arch Manning when next year’s NFL Draft rolls around.
It’s important to note that Jones is definitely aware of his audience. His commentary seems to cater to a niche group of sports fans who resonate with the idea of white athletes relying on privilege. He often finds himself debating a strawman who accuses him of bias towards Allen and Stafford due to their race.
Even some of his supporters seem to be losing patience with what they perceive as irony in his arguments. One comment on a Reddit fan page read, “Bomani has completely lost his juice. I watched today’s episode and tapped out. If he continues to repeat the same five points on Stafford, Allen, Murray, and Hurts all season, I’ll pass.”
Another added, “He’s had a great run, but honestly, his shift in focus is a bit disheartening.”
The discourse surrounding racial preferences in sports media seems to be dwindling. Many, including Jones, seem to be losing their audience as conversations shift. There isn’t any concrete evidence backing Jones’s claim that white fans favor Josh Allen due to his race. Jones, with his ties to black quarterbacks, appears to assume that everyone shares his perspective.
Interestingly, most fans seem indifferent to the ethnicity of the quarterback; they typically care more about their performance on the field.
