Former Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals running back Rashard Mendenhall has been the talk of the NFL world over the last few days after he posted this tweet.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!I’m sick of average white guys commenting on football. Y’all not even good at football. Can we please replace the Pro Bowl with an All-Black vs. All-White bowl so these cats can stop trying to teach me who’s good at football. I’m better than ur goat.
— Rashard Mendenhall (@R_Mendenhall) December 18, 2023
The tweet by itself is stupid, ignorant, and unnecessarily divisive but the reaction to the tweet has been awesome. It is impossible to know what Mendenhall’s intentions were but the tweet has appeared to do the opposite of what he intended.
Most fans and players had fun with it. It has actually brought people together in a weird way.
Maxx Crosby at his audition to play for the All-Black team https://t.co/chQryzqryH pic.twitter.com/J2LN4nV5H2
— Negro Bane/Tha Shark (@thashark316) December 19, 2023
The All-Black team when they have to kick a field goal https://t.co/vNpqAXKPtd pic.twitter.com/41P6H8VurO
— Dixon B. Tweenerlegs (@EnzymeCoA) December 18, 2023
the whites praying we get to play this one in a driving rainstorm. https://t.co/r0cHclt5xa
— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) December 18, 2023
Some fans and players took the time to put together all-black and all-white rosters.
NFL All-White vs All-Black Bowl proposed by @R_Mendenhall
Parameters + the White roster pic.twitter.com/kLnoQgAcNe
— Will Compton (@_willcompton) December 18, 2023
My all Black roster: https://t.co/45MX39NoUQ pic.twitter.com/daadSfa2HF
— | LAT 💫| LA 🐏 (@CoachLats) December 19, 2023
No Red in the Sea of Black and White
This is where the issue comes in for the Arizona Cardinals. There are only two examples here but in all the rosters that were made on social media. There were no Cardinals on either roster. This shows that the Cardinals are not on fans’ radars and that they don’t have elite standout talent.
Now, a case can be made for Kyler Murray to be the third string quarterback on the All-Black team but he would definitely be behind Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson. Maybe he would battle Dak Prescott and Jalen Hurts for the third spot and that’s a stretch.
Trey McBride could be a back-up tight end on the white roster. He has had a phenomenal season but does not have the longevity of Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, George Kittle or T.J. Hockenson.
Budda Baker may be able to sneak in as a back-up safety on the black roster but he would have to compete with Minkah Fitzpatrick, Jesse Bates III, and Antoine Winfield Jr among others.
Of course Justin Tucker has earned the starting spot as the kicker for the white roster. So, Matt Prater would have to compete with Dallas Cowboys rookie Brandon Aubrey for the back-up kicker spot. Aubrey hasn’t missed a field goal attempt all season.
There are really no spots for any Cardinals players. This is a just another sign that general manager Monti Ossenfort has his work cut out for him in the off-season.
