"I stand against racism 100 per cent. I promise to commit myself to being part of the solution in this country. Again, I'm truly sorry for my words and actions and humbly ask for forgiveness"
Friday 5 June 2020 10:20, UK
Buffalo Bills rookie quarterback Jake Fromm apologised on Thursday for using the words "elite white people" in a text message sent last year.
Screengrabs of the text message conversation, which appears to have happened in March 2019, surfaced on social media on Thursday, with Fromm acknowledging that the texts were his.
"I am extremely sorry that I chose to use the words 'elite white people' in a text message conversation," Fromm said in a statement on Twitter, adding that he apologised in a meeting with the team.
"Although I never meant to imply that I am an 'elite white person,' as later stated in the conversation, there's no excuse for that word choice and sentiment.
"I stand against racism 100 per cent. I promise to commit myself to being part of the solution in this country. Again, I'm truly sorry for my words and actions and humbly ask for forgiveness."
In the text thread, Fromm and the unknown recipient of the messages were discussing guns.
Fromm wrote, "But no guns are good. They need to let me get suppressors. Just make them very expensive so only elite white people can get them haha."
Later in the conversation, Fromm wrote, "I'm not I'm just sayin."
In a statement sent to NFL Network, the team said, "Earlier today, we became aware of comments made in a text message conversation involving Jake Fromm in 2019. He was wrong and he admitted it to us. We don't condone what he said.
"Jake was honest and forthcoming to us about the text exchange. He asked for an opportunity to address and apologise to his teammates and coaches today in a team meeting, which he did. We will continue to work with Jake on the responsibilities of being a Buffalo Bill on and off the field."
Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, who is black, said on a video conference call with reporters later on Thursday that Fromm "seemed very sincere in his apology".
"I think for our team, we have a strong culture on our team," Frazier added.
"Those guys are going to be able to sift through what is real and what's not real. We haven't been around Jake. We haven't had a chance to spend much time with him because of the virtual offseason that we're in. He's a team-mate.
"Those guys, I think over time, he'll gain their trust. For all of us, we make mistakes. He acknowledged that 'I made a mistake.'"
Fromm, who turns 22 next month, was selected in the fifth round (167th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Bills in April after playing three seasons at Georgia.
In 2018, current Bills starting quarterback Josh Allen apologised after derogatory and racist comments from 2013 surfaced from his Twitter account on the day of the first round of the draft. Buffalo traded up to select Allen seventh overall that evening.
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