A Recent History of Athletes and Celebrities Beefing with the NFL

Rihanna isn't the only one who was recently pissed off at the NFL.

Sep 17, 2014
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Complex Original

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Yesterday, in the wake of CBS Sports' decision to pull "Run This Town" from their season-opening telecast featuring the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers game last week, Rihanna took to Twitter to lob a few bombs at one of the NFL's top media partners. Though the station was ready to insert her song into this week's program, Rihanna was not having it. 

A moment later, she added: 

It was a bad look for both CBS and the National Football League, which has been facing countless public relations fiascoes as of late. Whether pertaining to Adrian Peterson, Ray Rice, or even M.I.A.'s infamous middle finger from Super Bowl XLVI, the NFL has been a frequent target of vitriol from celebrities and athletes across the spectrum. And as the league scrambles to clean up the mess it has created with shoddy suspension policies and general irresponsibility, we take a look at just how much hate has been thrown their way in our Recent History of Athletes and Celebrities Beefing with the NFL.

Seth Rogen, actor

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Need we say more?

Boomer Esiason, former player

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On Monday morning, CBS Sports analyst and former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason spoke frankly about the child abuse allegations levied against Adrian Peterson, and the course of action the Minnesota Vikings were responsible for taking. Said Esiason: 


I don’t buy [upbringing] as an excuse. Peterson is 6’1″, 220 pounds talking about hitting his 4-year-old son with what is known as a switch. I never even heard of that until the other night. It’s a tree branch that parents use to whip kids. I found it so reprehensible. I got emotional about it and was very intense about it. It’s no excuse in my eyes.


When it comes to situations like Adrian Peterson, I personally believe he should be, at worst, suspended for the rest of the season. Suspended for the rest of the season, and then look at this case even closer, and then figure out what the law enforcement is going to come up with down in Texas.

Based on today's news, it appears that the Minnesota Vikings are following Esiason's advice. 

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M.I.A., musician

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Back in 2012, while she was performing for the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show with Madonna and Nicki Minaj, artist M.I.A. unexpectedly raised her middle finger to camera, flipping off a worldwide audience during a performance viewed by billions. As a result, the NFL issued a $1.5M fine against M.I.A. that mutated into a $16.6 million lawsuit after she refused to pay them. Among many inconsistencies with the league's moral argument against her, M.I.A. pointed out that Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams had been seen giving the middle to a crowd during a regular season game in 2009. She tweeted: 

It is worth noting that Adams was eventually fined $250K. 

M.I.A. was also open about the details of the court case against her, tweeting out a proposed agreement the NFL offered her in March:


And in her initial statement about the fine, M.I.A. said: 


The NFL thing is completely ridiculous. It’s been making me laugh for a while, but now it’s so boring I don’t even laugh anymore. So the precise moment in question, and you can actually freeze-frame this as many media outlets have. The frame you’re looking for has my middle finger in the foreground, and the larger picture where it zooms out is a row of 10-15 cheerleaders, young black females, that Madonna got from a local high school in Indianapolis, and they were all under 16. If you look at them, they’re all wearing cheerleader outfits, hips thrusted in the air, legs wide open, in this very sexually provocative position.


So, now, they’re scapegoating me into figuring out the goalposts on what is offensive in America. Like, is my finger offensive, or is the underage black girl with her legs wide open more offensive to the family audience? That’s basically what it comes down to. It's a massive waste of time, a massive waste of money, it’s a massive display of powerful corporation dick-shaking. They want me on my knees and say sorry so they can slap me on my wrist. Basically, so they can say it’s OK for me to promote being sexually exploited as a female than to display female empowerment through being punk rock. That is what it boils down to, and I’m being sued for it.

In August, the two parties reached a confidential settlement. Here was M.I.A.'s response: 

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Chris Kluwe, former player

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An outspoken critic of the league for years now, former Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe will take any opportunity he can to speak out against the NFL's pattern of misguided leadership. As a former player, his perspective is invaluable to understanding the inner-workings of a famously tight-lipped organization.

Patton Oswalt, comedian

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Y'know, he has a point.

London Fletcher, former player

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As a four-time Pro Bowler, a one-time Super Bowl champion, and a former iron man of the league, London Fletcher's word holds serious credence among former players.

Gilbert Arenas, former NBA player

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Former NBA superstar Gilbert Arenas took to Instagram to address his followers about the dismissal and indefinite suspension of Ray Rice. Posting a photo of Rice and his wife, Janay, Arenas provided a lengthy caption explaining his feelings on the matter: 


I will start off by saying I don't condone domestic violence,this is just MY opinion,we heard about this is feb,we all seen the recording of what went down.off that recording the NFL decided to suspend him for 2 games,now that more of the footage is out the #NFL decided now to release and ban him!


I personally think that's unfair to penalize a person twice for the same CRIME. You should have made an example of him back in feb,now it just seems like ur covering your asses for the poor decision you made the first time around ,were taught to live with each decision we make as humans.


#NFL your decision was a 2 games suspension,right or wrong that was the decision you guys made,the victim was his fiancé NOW wife,as a man he has to live with what he did the rest of his life, she #forgave #married and #fighting for him and she's the only person in this world who can pass judgement on him so #RAVENS #NFL stop acting like the victims!!!!the real victim #MRSRICE just want to watch her husband play football!!!

So, essentially, Arenas is against domestic violence and double jeopardy. The double jeopardy argument will play a key role in Ray Rice's upcoming appeal of his indefinite suspension. Maybe he should hire Arenas to be his lawyer? 

Floyd Mayweather Jr., professional boxer

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In a strange rebuke against the NFL, pro boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. said that the league overreacted to the Ray Rice situation by giving Rice an indefinite suspension. Said Mayweather: "I think there's a lot worse things that go on in other people's households, also. It's just not caught on video, if that's safe to say."

No, that's not safe to say, Floyd. At the very least, it's not media-savvy. 

Mayweather quickly apologized for his remarks the next day, saying, "Whoever I offended I apologize. I am only human. Domestic violence is something I don't condone." 

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Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver

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On September 10, as the news about the NFL's apparent cover-up of the Ray Rice video had been breaking, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White tweeted, "Rodger [sic] should just come out and say we messed up and drop the ball on this one but he won’t to much pride and it’s a lot of that in the nfl."

He later added, "I must say the nfl does have ridiculous resources I remember coming out in the 05 draft they knew everything about my family history scary." 

If there was anyone who might have believed that the NFL couldn't get their hands on the full Ray Rice video, White provided a nice reality check. Unfortunately, he later deleted his tweets. 

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Jamie Lee Curtis, actress

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Coming from the perspective of someone who has worked closely with Lindsay Lohan, Jamie Lee Curtis likely knows a thing or two about people who need to regain their sanity. 

Scott Fujita, former player

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Even as a long-time veteran of the NFL, former Saints linebacker Scott Fujita held NOTHING back when discussing his feelings on Ray Rice.

Chris Harris, Denver Broncos cornerback

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Speaking out against a fellow player is a rarity in the NFL, mainly because the NFLPA likes its players to support each other against the league office. However, current Broncos cornerback Chris Harris knew that he had to say something when the Ray Rice situation started to completely unravel.

Mia Farrow, actress

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An outspoken activist in various human rights campaigns, Mia Farrow didn't hesitate to let the public know how she felt about the NFL's treatment of women. 

LeCharles Bentley, former player

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Though Bentley has been out of the NFL since 2007, the two-time Pro Bowler has remained in close contact with the league through his L. Bentley O-Line Academy, a performance school which hosts numerous NFL lineman as clients. He certainly understands how much power an NFL player possesses. 

Ja Rule, rapper

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Ja Rule has spoken. Nothing else needs to be said. 

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