The Arizona Cardinals selected Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray as their first overall pick in the NFL draft on Thursday, but on Saturday morning, President Donald Trump acknowledged the number two pick instead.
“Congratulations to Nick Bosa on being picked number two in the NFL Draft,” Trump tweeted. “You will be a great player for years to come, maybe one of the best. Big Talent! San Francisco will embrace you but most importantly, always stay true to yourself. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
The move sparked outrage across social media, prompting folks to flood his comments section and blast Trump for being petty and clearly racist.
Donald J. Trump✔@realDonaldTrump
Congratulations to Nick Bosa on being picked number two in the NFL Draft. You will be a great player for years to come, maybe one of the best. Big Talent! San Francisco will embrace you but most importantly, always stay true to yourself. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
Ed Krassenstein@EdKrassenYou do realize that another player went #1 overall in the draft, right ahead of Bosa, right?
His name is Kyler Murray pic.twitter.com/xiOkXTMm3Y
Bosa, who was chosen by the San Francisco 49ers, previously expressed his support for Trump and has also been criticized for a posting and “liking” a slew of racially charged and homophobic tweets, which have since been deleted. In one, he referred to former 49ers player Colin Kaepernick a “clown.”
After being drafted, Bosa apologized for expressing his racist views online, telling reporters, “I’m sorry if I hurt anybody. I definitely didn’t intend for that to be the case. I think me being here (San Francisco) is even better for me as a person, because I don’t think there’s anywhere, any city, that you could really be in that would help you grow as much as this one will,” according to NFL.com.
Back in December, Murray was at the center of a similar firestorm when several tweets from 2012 emerged in which he used homophobic slurs. He apologized, writing, “I apologize for the tweets that have come to light tonight from when I was 14 and 15. I used a poor choice of word that doesn’t reflect who I am or what I believe. I did not intend to single out any individual or group.”
The Heisman Trophy winner was reportedly offered a $35 million contract with Arizona, TIME reports.
Donald J. Trump✔@realDonaldTrump
Congratulations to Nick Bosa on being picked number two in the NFL Draft. You will be a great player for years to come, maybe one of the best. Big Talent! San Francisco will embrace you but most importantly, always stay true to yourself. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
Robin@rocodeedeeFYI: The first pick in the NFL draft, Kyler Murray, is the only player drafted in the first round of two major sports (MLB). I think that deserves a congratulatory message, but we all know why he won’t get it from you!
Meanwhile, many football fans and Twitter users slammed Trump for praising the second-best white dude over the more dominate athlete, Murray.
“You do realize that another player went #1 overall in the draft, right ahead of Bosa, right?” wrote Hill reporter Ed Krassenstein.
“What does a sports draft have to do with making America Great? Buddy if it’s not great now after your horrible leadership I would think you might consider America WAS great before you came,” said Twitter user April Larsen
Another commented, “What?!? You congratulate the number two pick, but not the first overall? I wonder why? I guess if I look at their pictures I can figure it out.”
User @rocodeedee tweeted at Trump, “FYI: The first pick in the NFL draft, Kyler Murray, is the only player drafted in the first round of two major sports (MLB). I think that deserves a congratulatory message, but we all know why he won’t get it from you!”
Some users noted that Trump’s praise of Bosa simply confirmed his racism. User @ALiberalCatLady tweeted, “Congratulating the first white draft pick, and nothing to say about the first pick overall. #thisiswhywesayyoureracist#KylerMurray”
