With public opinion almost unanimously against Dolphins G.M. Jeff Ireland’s right to ask if Dez Bryant’s mother was a prostitute, the NFLPA released a statement on the matter Wednesday.
“We need to make sure the men of this league are treated as businessmen. During interviews, our players and prospective players should never be subjected to discrimination or degradation stemming from the biases or misconceptions held by team personnel,” DeMaurice Smith and the NFL Players said Wednesday.
“NFL teams cannot have the free reign to ask questions during the interview process which can be categorized as stereotyping or which may bring a personal insult to any player as a man. For the past year, active, former and incoming players have heard me speak about the expectations we have of them as members of this union, their teams, communities and families. It is equally true that the same kind of respect is demanded of their employers,” the statement concludes.
We don’t disagree with anything Smith writes, although we’re not exactly sure what the intent of the statement is or whether he just wants some free publicity.
Does Smith believe that Ireland violated the conduct policy? Does he want guidelines to be set up for interviews in the future so it doesn’t happen again?
Smith’s use of the word businessmen is fair. Ireland never would have asked the same question to the women and men he’s hired to work in the Dolphins front office.