49ers Suspend Radio Analyst for Comments About Lamar Jackson's 'Dark Skin'

Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco 49ers have suspended radio analyst Tim Ryan for one game for comments made about Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson’s “dark skin color” on air Monday.

After Jackson extended his MVP-caliber season in the Ravens’s Week 13 victory over the 49ers, Ryan attempted to break down the QB’s performance in his weekly segment on KNBR’s “Murph and Mac.”

“He’s really good at that fake, Lamar Jackson, but when you consider his dark skin color with a dark football with a dark uniform, you could not see that thing,” Ryan said on Monday. “I mean you literally could not see when he was in and out of the mesh point and if you’re a half step slow on him in terms of your vision forget about it, he’s out of the gate.”

Following Ryan’s comments, the 49ers released a statement to The San Francisco Chronicle expressing their disappointment in the situation.

“We hold Tim to a high standard as a representative of our organization and he must be more thoughtful with his words,” 49ers officials said. “Tim has expressed remorse in a public statement and has also done so with us privately. We know Tim as a man of high integrity and are confident he will grow and learn from this experience.”

Ryan apologized for his comments in a statement to The Chronicle.

“I regret my choice of words in trying to describe the conditions of the game,” Ryan said. “Lamar Jackson is an MVP-caliber player and I respect him greatly. I want to sincerely apologize to him and anyone else I offended.”

Ryan, a former NFL linebacker, has been an analyst for 18 seasons. He started as a color commentator for the 49ers in 2014.

Ryan will miss the 49ers’s Week 14 game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Dec. 8 at 1 p.m.