Race Hustler Narratives Crumble During NFL Playoffs | Bobby Burack

The race hustlers in sports media were among the biggest losers during the first weekend of the NFL playoffs.

Some of their proudest narratives fell by the wayside, proving their talking points to be no more than sloppy fabrications with the intent to stoke racial animus.

Let us review:

Race Lady Jemele Hill accused the Detroit Lions of racism when the team hired Dan Campbell in 2021.

Hill said the Lions should have hired a black coach but instead hired this bumbling imbecile because he's white:

It turns out, Campbell isn't a product of white privilege. He's one of the most promising head coaches in the NFL.

Campbell took over one of the worst rosters in the league. He now has them competing for a Super Bowl just two seasons later.

Legitimately -- the Lions are Super Bowl contenders. Say it aloud. Say it again.

This season, Campbell led Detroit to its first divisional championship in 30 years and first playoff win since 1991.

The Lions are favored to win this upcoming weekend against the Bucs, which would put them in the NFC Championship Game.

The Ford family hired Campbell not because he's white, but because he was the ideal candidate for a team stuck in decades of misery.

The Lions sought out a leader, someone to reenergize the city. Dan Campbell is that. He's done that.

Jemele Hill has yet to address her race-bait gone wrong.

(Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

Speaking of the Race Lady, how about Jemele Hill wannabe Carron J. Phillips?

If the name sounds familiar, Phillips is the racist slob from Deadspin who willfully lied about a 9-year-old Chiefs fan wearing blackface.

Phillips set his X account to Private following the hit piece.

Still, several X users recalled during the Bucs-Eagles game that Phillips recently posted an article declaring Baker Mayfield a privileged bum.

In August, the Deadspin writer claimed Tampa Bay signed Mayfield only on account of his skin color.

"Baker Mayfield’s whiteness keeps getting him NFL starting QB jobs," read the headline.

Phillips argued there were better black options at the position than Mayfield.

Well, there certainly weren't better black options available at the time Mayfield was a free agent. Mayfield was the best free agent QB by a mile. He proved that all season, particularly last night in the playoffs.

Baker Mayfield played as well as any QB in the Wild Card Round, including Patrick Mahomes.

Mayfield went 22-of-36 for 337 yards and 3 touchdowns. If it weren't for about seven drops, his numbers would've been even greater.

"Baker Mayfield isn’t the right choice in Tampa, he’s the 'white choice,'" concluded Deadspin.

No, he was the right choice because he's one of the 10 to 15 best QBs in the world in a league in which there are 32 teams.

By the way, since we are recklessly throwing around accusations of racism -- is it fair to ask if Carron J. Phillips' "blackness is the only reason he keeps getting jobs in media"?

Because no one is hiring Phillips for his writing skills or his intellect. He's a liability.

A legal liability, that is. Specifically, the family of the little kid he smeared threatened legal action against him and Deadspin last month.

And then there's Josh Allen ...

The Sports Media cast Allen as the Big Bad White QB, whom they say white racists favor over superior black QBs.

Facts have never supported this talking point. Yet it continues to percolate.

This season, ESPN analysts frequently compared Allen to Dak Prescott. Per people like Damien Woody, they are both turnover machines but only Allen gets a pass.

Robert Griffin III, Kendrick Perkins and Domonique Foxworth agreed -- suggesting a racial bias at play.

We respect the -- race -- hustle. But let's talk about facts.

First, Allen doesn't receive a pass. Allen is the most criticized player in the NFL. Mike Greenberg monologued last month about the unfair treatment Allen receives from the press.

Second, Allen is a far more dynamic player than Prescott.

Sure, Allen turns over the ball too much. However, he more than makes up for it with his play. Prescott does not.

I mean, take a look:

Dak Prescott cannot do that.

No one, other than Josh Allen, can.

Now, we understand RGIII would rather have Prescott as a QB than Allen due to their respective skin colors.

But there is not a single NFL owner, GM, or coach who would agree. Not one.

And that's what remains encouraging about the NFL. The league is still, mostly, a meritocracy.

Wild Card Weekend wasn't just about white coaches. It was also about black coaches, like DeMeco Ryans and Todd Bowles.

White QBs like Allen and Mayfield showed out. So did black QBs like Jordan Love and CJ Stroud.

Puka Nacua is of Samoan descent. He might have been the best player on any field last weekend. He's a stud.

Players and coaches don't earn jobs in the NFL based on the color of their skin. They earn and retain positions based on their ability to help win football games.

And that, because race matters less in football than in other institutions in America, is why the race hustlers despise the game so passionately.

And why the race hustlers were among the biggest losers during Wild Card Weekend.