Jake Fromm apologizes for racist texts

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Racist text messages that Bills rookie quarterback Jake Fromm sent last year were posted online today, prompting an apology from Fromm.

In the texts, which were dated March 16, 2019, Fromm said he thinks “guns are good” but then added, “Just make them very expensive so only elite white people can get them haha.”

Shortly after images of the texts were posted online, Fromm released an apology and said he had also apologized in a team meeting.

“I am extremely sorry that I chose to use the words ‘elite white people’ in a text message conversation,” Fromm wrote. “Although I never meant to imply that I am an ‘elite white person,’ as stated later in the conversation, there’s no excuse for that word choice and sentiment. While it was poor, my heart is not. Now, more than ever, is the time for support and togetherness and I stand against racism 100%. I promise to commit myself to being a part of the solution in this country. I addressed my teammates and coaches in a team meeting today and I hope they see this incident is not representative of the person I am. Again, I’m truly sorry for my words and actions and humbly ask for forgiveness.”

At the time Fromm wrote the texts, he was Georgia’s starting quarterback. He was selected by the Bills in the fifth round of this year’s NFL draft.

78 responses to “Jake Fromm apologizes for racist texts

  1. Thank you for your use of the appropriate terminology. It is not enough to declare that we are not racists. We must choose to be actively anti-racist.

  2. **side eye** Like Brees he missed the point.

    He sounds like he thinks the issue is he said “elite” white people (as opposed to regular white people).

  3. Cancel-culture is out in full force right now. celebrities should probably delete all their tweets from 8 years ago

  4. Nice friend that shared comments clearly made in jest in a private conversation.

  5. Wow. The cute, casual nature of his comments….incredible. He wrote it knowing it was wrong and ugly and he thought is was funny. Then he hit send.

    Yeah, that’s the casual racism in America that keeps this country down. It stops us all from living up to the ideals of the Bill of Rights, the Constitution and the Stars and Stripes.

  6. Sounds like someone was sitting on those texts prob asking him for money, he said no so they got posted.

  7. eddyjf says:
    June 4, 2020 at 2:28 pm
    It was sarcasm, The new excuse for racist tweets

    You. Are. Laughable.

  8. No Georgia QB has ever been accused of subtlety and inclusiveness. This one is unfortunately without talent. The last great GA QB was Matthew Stafford.

  9. I read your message wrong initially. You are correct. My apologies.

  10. well at least he didn’t defend standing during the national anthem…then he would be in major trouble.

  11. I am black and statements like these from white people do not surprise me. Given our country’s history and attitudes that are passed down from generation to generation, this is, quite frankly, what you get. It takes an extraordinary white person to see past racism and understand the plight of black people in America. Sadly, Fromm is yet another victim of history and should not be judged solely on this statement. He is probably a pretty stand up guy.

  12. Didn’t Josh Allen have some racist stuff in his past also? What is going on with Buffalo and racist QBs? Haha

  13. Well black people need to embrace the 2nd amendment and join the NRA. It’s their right and to the mods who keep blocking this you need to know there is a difference between gun violence and being responsible with your 2nd amendment right.

  14. Like I said, free speech is only to yourself … He should be upset with so called friends who released the texts but even jokes and sarcasm wont escape the PC Gestapo …

  15. Another racist uncovered or should i say “unsheeted?” Get it, out from under his klan robe or sheet? Lol

  16. Drew Brees, Vic Fangio, Fromm, and others have shown you how they felt. They’re only out here apologizing because of the public backlash.

    They’ve shown their true colors though.

  17. I think we need to go back 50 years & comb thru every comment so we all know what everyone is really thinking…..enquiring minds need to know!!!!

  18. picksixx says:
    June 4, 2020 at 2:42 pm
    well at least he didn’t defend standing during the national anthem…then he would be in major trouble.

    *********************************************************************************

    Standing during the anthem doesn’t require defending — if someone wants to do it, go for it. They’re questioning people who feel the need to go out of their way, in the current environment, to express how disrespectful they think it is to not stand. Strange you’re so sensitive about that.

  19. I’m guessing at some point in everyone’s life they’ve said something stupid and ugly. Maybe we should all just apologize and then stop doing this to each other?

  20. Love all these white peoples setting the standard for what’s acceptable and what’s not. Lmao!

  21. thatguy says:
    June 4, 2020 at 2:30 pm
    Jake Fromm State Farm?

    Best post yet.

  22. I think every player should have their tweets exposed. I wonder how many cracker remarks have been uttered by the holier than thou perpetual victims? So sick of this. What is likely to happen due to all this crying wolf is that there is going to be more polarization and racism. Heck, I used to care. Because I’ve been insulted by having white privilege and expected to have white guilt, I avoid even giving a minute to what is reported. When you actually do research, most of this is hogwash or very isolated incidents. It certainly is not systemic.

  23. It’s very clear what he actually believes. Good luck to him in the Bills locker room.

  24. iliketurtles says:
    June 4, 2020 at 2:57 pm
    Love all these white peoples setting the standard for what’s acceptable and what’s not. Lmao!

    Love all these black peoples getting bent out of shape over opinions and words. lmao!

  25. mmmpierogi says:
    June 4, 2020 at 2:52 pm
    picksixx says:
    June 4, 2020 at 2:42 pm
    well at least he didn’t defend standing during the national anthem…then he would be in major trouble.

    *********************************************************************************

    Standing during the anthem doesn’t require defending — if someone wants to do it, go for it. They’re questioning people who feel the need to go out of their way, in the current environment, to express how disrespectful they think it is to not stand. Strange you’re so sensitive about that.

    I’m not sensitive about it at all. I honestly don’t even care that people kneel. I just don’t think it’s productive to hang Drew Brees because of his stance. I’m sure you’ve already labeled him a racist though…strange how you’re sensitive about that.

  26. Stay away from social media and don’t talk politics. Your welcome.

  27. as a percentage of population there are just as many black racists as there are white racists…you’re a fool or are being fooled if you believe differently….and there are just as many (% of population) hispanic, asian, etc racists.

    that is not and should not be the barometer, the question.

    the question should be are our laws, our policies, TODAY (not 400 yrs ago like keeps being thrown around), racist AND are our laws being applied fairly and equally.

    to the first part of the question…while there is always work to do, our laws seem to try and treat everyone equally whether by race, religion, gender, etc…are they perfect? no, but it’s always a work in progress.

    are the laws applied equally. I don’t think it’s right to throw a blanket statement “yes” or “no” around….it’s probably more accurate to say in some areas “yes” in other areas “no”….

    but as for “systematic” police killings of black people….it’s a blatant and dangerous lie…

    per the Washington Post, a very liberal source….there were 10 instances in 2019 of police killing unarmed black Americans….20 instances with white Americans.

    of the 10, 5 had witnesses say the police were attacked first and were defending themselves…no charges brought…..

    as a percentage of unarmed alleged perpetrators, police killed more white Americans than black Americans…..these are facts, per the Washington Post….there’s nothing systematic going on.

    so why all the anger?

    for some reason people are being led around like sheep (take Shannon Sharpe of Fox Sports 1) with violent anger for what happened 400 years ago.

    if every country had to account today for all the sins of their past (and before you have an opinion on this, if you don’t know world history you speak with ignorance) we’d never take another step forward.

    for a decade or more, basically starting in 2008, you’ve been taught to hate, to divide, to shame others if they don’t agree with you. this is dangerous, reminds those knowledable of the Nazi’s in the 1920’s and 1930’s…..

    hut hopefully the lessons of history have been learned and once this emotional outburst is over intelligence will be brought into the discussion….if not, if this nonsense continues (yah sure, the destruction of property and murder of police is in memory of Mr. Floyd…some may be dumb enough to buy into that)…then instead of looking to the lessons of the 1930’s….we’ll need to look to the lessons of the 1860’s.

  28. My impression after reading all the comments is that contrary to crime statistics, there is not a gun violence problem in the black community.

  29. He’ll be out the league in a year or two, as he has no talent…oh wait, that hasn’t stopped teams before from giving back-up jobs to such type of QBs.

  30. Thanks for the apology, but no thank you. You meant what you said and it’s fine because we know who you truly are.

  31. Maybe everyone, white, black, everyone, should share the worst thing they’ve ever said or done. Or maybe the ten worst things.

    When the masses volunteer that information, then they can be sincere about critiquing others.

  32. These were texts … in privacy and confidence, not tweets to everyone. China encourages citizens snitching on one another, and America is becoming more like China … get used to it.

  33. It could be a joke but if he went to Tennessee or Idaho and talked about raising gun prices to the local yokel “ elite “ whites that occupy those areas, they might kill him… About as backwoods as it gets in some of those areas and just as poor as any other…

  34. And Kaep still can’t get on the field…but Fromm can..lol…NFL you’re part of the problem.

  35. I can’t wait for the new season of South Park to address Coronavirus and Rioting…

  36. For a moment I thought this was about Jake Fromm State Farm. But they didn’t tell us what he was wearing.

  37. It’s a good thing the Bills already have a starting QB, because this guy’s leadership ability is nil.

  38. So if this is supposed to be a joke, what about this is funny? There was no nuance to the “joke” really at all, it was just a dumb “edgy” statement. You can’t say something that racist and hide behind “oh it was just a joke”. You can make a racist satire joke, but if that joke falls flat, you deserve the criticism coming your way.

  39. Yeah Bills, cut this fool, and nothing of value will be missed. Bye bye.

  40. Didn’t Josh Allen have a history of similar tweets?

    ????????????????????????

    Josh was sing the words to a rap song. Not a racist.

  41. Racist texts!! Ruh-roh. Gonna be fun meeting your teammates soon huh, Jakey boy?

  42. for a decade or more, basically starting in 2008, you’ve been taught to hate, to divide, to shame others if they don’t agree with you.

    ____

    By who? You don’t come out and say it, so I am left wondering who you think is doing that and to what end?

  43. Joe Mixon says:
    June 4, 2020 at 2:45 pm
    Well black people need to embrace the 2nd amendment and join the NRA. It’s their right and to the mods who keep blocking this you need to know there is a difference between gun violence and being responsible with your 2nd amendment right.

    ______________________________________________________________________

    Hahaha! And then when all those black people you speak of show up together to the Michigan state house with their AR-15s, I’m sure the cops will just calmly ask to see their gun licenses. BTW I’m white and have a gun (which I keep at home for defense instead of toting it around to restaurants, or anyplace a politician I disagree with is having a campaign event), but I should probably get at least one more, before that lunatic in the WH takes away my 2nd Amendment rights.

  44. It was a JOKE people!
    WHEN…I say again….WHEN…will a black person be forced to delete a racist tweet, post, etc that is offensive to white people?
    WHEN ?????
    Or is it that one race (guess which) has more “rights” than all the others combined?

  45. “Good grief. Idiot….anyone else sick of apologies?”

    I’ll be sick of apologies when we start hearing apologies and reform movements around taking the life of black citizens (not even criminals, not that it matters) in custody.

    I hope white idiots like Fromm (I am white BTW) have to keep apologizing again and again until we straight white males realize jokes about racism are not funny. They are offensive to a population who has been discriminated against economically, socially, in the work force and by the authorities.

  46. Rich? You’ll be working at McDonalds soon, white supremacists. This is what America don’t need.

  47. “All Lives Matter, what part don’t you get?” Except they clearly don’t matter. You don’t see that?

    Sandra Bland,Eric Garner, Freddy Gray, Terrence Crutcher, Alton Sterling, Philando Castile,John Crawford, Corey Jones, Aiyana Jones, Amadou Diallo and on and on and on

    There is no similiar list for white people killed by the authorities. One now and then maybe.

  48. Fromm is just another clueless white guy that thinks he’s not a racist because he is friendly with black players on his team. I’m a white guy telling anyone that will listen that this ignorant blabber is exactly the way all those “non-racist” white guys talk when they are out of the locker room and among their white friends.
    This problem will start to get solved when the Jake Fromms of this world truly start to believe that all men are created equal and the color of your skin is irrelevant.

  49. Shocked but not surprised. The country has a long history of denying the 2nd amendment rights to African Americans. Dr. Martin Luther King was denied a concealed carry permit after his house was bombed in 1956.

  50. Person A: You behaving yourself?
    Person B: Depends who’s watching.

  51. Why bother apologizing? At this point its almost worse to admit and apologize than it is to ignore it or lie.

  52. heymister24 says:
    “.. All Lives Matter, what part don’t you get?…”

    I’ll tell you what YOU don’t get.

    When a black person says “Black Lives Matter”, people like you HEAR “ONLY Black Lives Matter”, which is dead wrong but that upsets you and you respond in kind.
    “All Lives Matter” is just a cop-out. It allows you to dilute the idea that Black Lives Matter, and it’s a cheap way to feign concern. The proof of that is as soon as the next WHITE kid gets killed by a cop you’ll just disappear again.
    You only hear “All Lives Matter” in direct response to “Black Lives Matter”. You won’t hear this anywhere else.
    – and for the record, I’m white.

  53. whynotjustadmitit says:
    June 4, 2020 at 2:38 pm
    I read your message wrong initially. You are correct. My apologies.
    ___________________________________________
    First kudos for recognizing, admitting and apologizing for your error. That’s refreshing in this age. I guess it points out our need to lash out instantly here and online in general under the cover of anonymity. If we want change we all need to do a better job of simply being better human beings for starters. Acknowledge our wrongs and apologize. Be kinder. Maybe even a little MYOB. Anyways good on you for what you did.

  54. lesepi says:
    June 4, 2020 at 3:00 pm
    I think every player should have their tweets exposed. I wonder how many cracker remarks have been uttered by the holier than thou perpetual victims? So sick of this. What is likely to happen due to all this crying wolf is that there is going to be more polarization and racism. Heck, I used to care. Because I’ve been insulted by having white privilege and expected to have white guilt, I avoid even giving a minute to what is reported. When you actually do research, most of this is hogwash or very isolated incidents. It certainly is not systemic.

    ————–
    I dont know what I find more problematic about this post. The refusal to acknowledge the system of racism or the fact that so many members of this forum share this sentiment despite the events of the past week. It is clear that this society is split down the middle between those comfortable withe status quo, and those who are fighting to change it.

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