*Texas pastor and high school football coach Ronnie Mitchem kicked two black players off of his team in September for protesting racial injustice during the national anthem, but it didn’t stop the Houston Texans from choosing Mitchem as its “Coach of the Week” in early October.
Coach Mitchem got an email informing him of the honor from the Houston Texans on 9/22 announcing he was coach of the week for 10/2.
/5 pic.twitter.com/qL3128hVHB— Resist Programming‼️ (@RzstProgramming) October 31, 2017
Not only did Mitchem boot 18-year-old Larry McCullough and 16-year-old Cedric Ingram Lewis from Victory and Worship Academy’s football roster (McCullough for raising a fist during the anthem; Lewis for kneeling), but he also made both players remove their uniforms on the field before kicking them off the squad.
“I really felt humiliated, to have to undress in front of everyone there. From my pads to my pants, in front of everyone,” McCollough told a news outlet.
Recipients of “Coach of the Week” honors are given $2500 for the school’s football program, a visit from the Texans, recognition on the team’s website and a certificate signed by coach Bill O’Brien.
At some point, the Texans messaged Mitchem to reschedule their visit, and the coach started to believe the team did it because he removed the protesting players.
Here Ronnie explains the communication timeline from the Texans. He credits reporter Janelle Bludau for his call back from the Texans. /8 pic.twitter.com/nPOt4I13TD
— Resist Programming‼️ (@RzstProgramming) October 31, 2017
Coach Ronnie Mitchem boasted about the check on his FB & Twitter. He is currently boycotting the NFL, actively preaching against it. /12 pic.twitter.com/oI4lBASM9N
— Resist Programming‼️ (@RzstProgramming) October 31, 2017
The award comes weeks after Texans owner Bob McNair caused outrage among many players by denouncing the NFL protests with the line, “We can’t have inmates running the prison.”
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