Rashard Mendenhall has been putting himself in more and more hot water with his Twitter comments since the season ended, and his latest antics have cost him his deal with the athletic apparel company Champion.
The company has announced it has decided it no longer wants to be associated with Mendenhall, just days he wrote on Twitter that he didn’t believe hijacked planes caused the collapse of the World Trade Center, and that people shouldn’t celebrate the death of Osama bin Laden.
“Earlier this week, Rashard Mendenhall, who endorses Champion products, expressed personal comments and opinions regarding Osama bin Laden and the September 11 terrorist attacks that were inconsistent with the values of the Champion brand and with which we strongly disagreed,” the company said in a statement, via Michael McCarthy of USA Today. “In light of these comments, Champion was obliged to conduct a business assessment to determine whether Mr. Mendenhall could continue to effectively communicate on behalf of and represent Champion with consumers. While we respect Mr. Mendenhall’s right to express sincere thoughts regarding potentially controversial topics, we no longer believe that Mr. Mendenhall can appropriately represent Champion and we have notified Mr. Mendenhall that we are ending our business relationship.”
Maybe finally taking money out of his pocket will teach Mendenhall to think before he types, and to stop trying to, as he put it, “generate conversation.”
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Jeff
May 6, 2011 at 10:11 am
When will these high profile athletes learn. Keep you’re personal opinions to yourself or those close to you or get ready for a sh*t storm because the media doesn’t miss a trick these days. Complete transparency.
Come on Rashard…think whatever you want but remember you represent the greatest NFL franchise going so don’t embarass Steeler Nation!
Marie
May 8, 2011 at 1:47 pm
RIGHT ON!!!
DrGeorge
May 7, 2011 at 2:17 pm
For any celebrity, there are consequences to public behavior and comments, good and bad. In the world of celebrity, your public image is everything. It is your brand. You must never, ever tarnish the brand. And if you do, it requires a herculean accomplishment to restore the lustre.
In this case, Champion ended its relationship with Rashard, and that will hurt him a little financially. What he will never know are the more lucrative endorsement deals he will be forever denied because of what he said (poorly) in a moment of questionable judgment. There were plenty of instructive precedents — Ben R., Tiger Woods, Tiki Barber, Charlie Sheen — but apparently Rashard wasn’t paying attention.
Jay
May 9, 2011 at 5:37 pm
I have worked with (severely) behaviorally challenged youth. Rashard was roughly 13 years old when 9-11 happened. That was right around the apex of the teen and pre-teen, adolescent, etc. boom of AD/HD, Impulse Control, Oppositional Defiant D/O, etc., etc….Apparently, Rashard wasn’t paying attention in school either save for the liberal, anti-U.S.A. left-winged cocksuckin’ nonsense that was coming out of our education system then (and now for that matter)! Jesus Christ why all of a sudden are all these (Steeler) athletes turning into douche bags!!!??? I actually care less that Rashard thinks what he thinks and more about the fact that he has to open his &%$#@ mouth!!!! Athletes, SHUT-UP AND JUST PLAY YOUR (PARTICULAR) SPORT!!! NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR OPINIONS!