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Washington Commanders DC Jack Del Rio defends tweets, refers to Jan. 6 insurrection as a “dust-up”

doug farrar
·4 min read
5

As the congressional committee investigating the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol building prepares to hold public hearings this week, Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio — who has been rather outspoken regarding his political views on social media — had a hearing of his own on the subject.

In a response to a recent Brookings Institute article on the hearings, Del Rio had an… interesting response.

Presumably, Del Rio is referring to the protests and demands for social justice in the wake of George Floyd’s death, or any number of other dog whistles.

When asked if his players would respond negatively to his views, Del Rio had this to say (per Ben Standig of The Athletic:

Del Rio obviously has the right to say whatever he wants, but he is tied in his own point about two standards. The insurrection was far more than a “dust-up,” and just because nothing burned down doesn’t mean that wasn’t the plan.

From USA Today’s coverage:

On the night of Jan. 5, 2021, a masked person wearing a hoodie and a pair of expensive Nikes planted pipe bombs outside the Capitol Hill headquarters of the nation’s two major political parties: the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee.

“These pipe bombs were viable devices that could have been detonated, resulting in serious injury or death,” Steven D’Antuono, the assistant director in charge at the FBI’s Washington field office, said in a message to the public issued last year.

Police found the bombs on the afternoon of Jan. 6, at the same time Capitol Police was calling for backup as officers struggled to hold off the increasingly violent rioters on the west side of the Capitol Building.

At least seven people died as a result of the riots, according to a bipartisan Senate report. Four were rioters. Officer Brian D. Sicknick of the Capitol Police was assaulted by the mob. Officers Jeffery Smith and Howard S. Liebengood died by suicide shortly after the attacks.

Per the Department of Justice:

  • More than 225 defendants have been charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers or employees, including over 75 individuals who have been charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to an officer.

  • Approximately 140 police officers were assaulted Jan. 6 at the Capitol including about 80 U.S. Capitol Police and about 60 from the Metropolitan Police Department. 

  • Approximately 10 individuals have been arrested on a series of charges that relate to assaulting a member of the media, or destroying their equipment, on Jan. 6.

  • Approximately 640 defendants have been charged with entering or remaining in a restricted federal building or grounds.

  • Over 75 defendants have been charged with entering a restricted area with a dangerous or deadly weapon.

  • More than 45 defendants have been charged with destruction of government property, and over 30 defendants have been charged with theft of government property.

  • At least 275 defendants have been charged with corruptly obstructing, influencing, or impeding an official proceeding, or attempting to do so.

  • Approximately 40 defendants have been charged with conspiracy, either: (a) conspiracy to obstruct a congressional proceeding, (b) conspiracy to obstruct law enforcement during a civil disorder, (c) conspiracy to injure an officer, or (d) some combination of the three.

That’s a bit more than a “dust-up.” It’s also possible that Del Rio’s players, especially Del Rio’s Black players, haven’t discussed this with him because they know exactly what the response would be.

Commanders head coach Ron Rivera was asked about Del Rio’s stances, and he would have preferred to leave the subject alone.

Well, the toothpaste is out of the tube there.

We’re not saying that Del Rio should lose his job over his political views. But given the level of distraction here, and adding in that the Commanders ranked 27th in Defensive DVOA last season with a defense stacked from front to back… it’s reasonable to wonder whether it’s worth the headaches.