Oklahoma State football coach apologizes for wearing OAN T-shirt

by Kaelan Deese - 06/17/20 2:09 PM ET

Oklahoma State University football coach Mike Gundy apologized Tuesday following the backlash he received for wearing a One America News Network (OANN) T-shirt.

“I want to apologize to all members of our team, former players and their families for the pain and discomfort that has been caused over the last two days. Black Lives Matters to me. Our players matter to me,” Gundy said Tuesday, according to ESPN.

The Cowboys head coach said he met with his players during a video call Tuesday afternoon, during which running back Chuba Hubbard and some other team members expressed concerns over support for OANN, a right-wing network that is supportive of President Trump and has been sharply critical of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Trump recently caught bipartisan criticism amplifying a baseless claim made on OANN that the 75-year-old man shoved to the ground and injured by police in Buffalo, N.Y., could be an “antifa provocateur.”

Buffalo protester shoved by Police could be an ANTIFA provocateur. 75 year old Martin Gugino was pushed away after appearing to scan police communications in order to black out the equipment. @OANN I watched, he fell harder than was pushed. Was aiming scanner. Could be a set up?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 9, 2020

Once Gundy was made aware of how the network feels about Black Lives Matter, he said, “I was disgusted and knew it was completely unacceptable to me.”

Gundy’s apology came one day after Hubbard tore into him for wearing the shirt, calling it “completely insensitive to everything going on in society.”

I will not stand for this.. This is completely insensitive to everything going on in society, and it’s unacceptable. I will not be doing anything with Oklahoma State until things CHANGE. https://t.co/psxPn4Khoq

— Chuba Hubbard (@Hubbard_RMN) June 15, 2020

Hubbard took to Twitter again following the apology, standing by his position but saying he should have confronted Gundy face-to-face instead.

“I was never wrong for saying what I said. I am a man, and I realized I should have went to him as a man face to face rather than on twitter. That’s my opinion. But I had to hold him accountable either way. I am glad things happened the way they did because things are being changed as we speak!”