Longtime sports journalist Jemele Hill has never been afraid to express her opinion on any subject. Considered controversial at times, Hill has been known to push the envelope and say things that most would only think. That’s long been her MO, so it’s understandable why people believed that she had a strong opinion on the firing of Minnesota Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
Last week the Vikings decided that they needed to make a change in their front office, and that meant relieving the aforementioned Adofo-Mensah from his duties. This despite signing him to an extension in May of last year.
Adofo-Mensah’s dismissal came as a surprise, and many think it was his allowing Darnold, who led the team to a 14-3 record during his lone season in the “Twin Cities,” to leave via free agency.
All the former No.3 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft did was head to the Pacific Northwest and lead the Seahawks to a (14-3) record and the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Vikings are stuck with 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy whose first two seasons in the league have been marred by injuries and subpar QB play.
Jemele Hill Denies Commenting On Adofo-Mensah Firing
Adofo-Mensah’s firing raised some eyebrows across the league, and several blogs went as far as to create fake quotes and attribute them to Hill, who is known to call out systemic issues and race-related dilemmas in sports.
“How many more chances would he get if he was white. This wasn’t just a football decision. It never is,” the graphic and caption supposedly attributed to Hill read.
From there, it was off to the races. Hill’s supposed comments drew the ire of many, who took to social media to express their opinions on the matter. Problem is, she never said it, calling the comment “completely fake.”
“I’ve never discussed this man publicly,” Hill told the Shadow League on Wednesday morning (Feb. 4). “I’m often the subject of fake quotes that circulate online that become quite a nuisance to deal with. I’ve never made single comment about the Minnesota GM being fired.”
Fans Attack Jemele Hill For Alleged Race-Related Criticism Concerning Firing Of Minnesota Vikings Black GM
The reaction was what you’d expect as it pertains to Hill, who is no stranger to controversial takes and opinions.
“The female version of Ryan Clark,” a fan said.
“Her and Ryan Clark need to start a podcast….,” another fan said.
“Everything’s not black or white. Sometimes a person doesn’t meet the criteria for their employer,” another fan mentioned.
“Would you keep an employee around if they werent good at their job?,” another fan quipped.
“That’s not all, if Sam Darnold wins the Super Bowl, they’ll fire him again, lol,” a fan said jokingly.
Hill Calls Out Falcons Hire: Never Made Comments About Vikings GM
Hill went on to describe how these fake stories make it to the mainstream public.
“(On Facebook) they often put up a picture of a Black person who tends to draw engagement, and they completely make up quotes from these fake blogs that are nothing more than bot farms,” Hill tells The Shadow League.
Hill might not have called out what could be perceived as another short hook for a minority leader in the NFL this time. But she has taken the NFL to task on numerous occasions and most recently concerning Kevin Stefanski’s Atlanta hiring.
When the Atlanta Falcons fired Raheem Morris after just two seasons and hired the former Cleveland Browns head coach (AKA Shedeur Sanders’ Nemesis), Hill posted this to her X account.
“Harry Douglas was absolutely right. None of the Falcons fans I know like the Stefanski hire. He had a losing record in Cleveland and they didn’t like how he handled the Shedeur Sanders situation. They LOVE Deion in the ATL.
It’s a Black city, with one of the Blackest fan bases in the NFL, and they have a Black QB on their roster — so a lot of ATL fans are side-eyeing this hire. Stefanski isn’t going to get a honeymoon there.”
Rob Parker Complained About Lack Of Black Head Coaches: None Hired This Cycle
She also isn’t alone in her criticism of how the league handles Black coaches and executives. “The Odd Couple” radio host Rob Parker mentioned it a few weeks ago, when it was becoming clear that Black head coaching candidates would not be taken seriously this hiring cycle.
Jemele Hill Says She and Other Black Celebs Targeted
Hill has been the target of right wingers and MAGA lovers ever since she called Trump “a white supremist” some years ago and continues to hold the most powerful institutions in sports and across the country accountable.
“Juice” Hill tells The Shadow League that there is a contingent of people who “specifically target black folks…me, Ryan Clark, Angel Reese. I truly want to sue these people,” she said.
Hill and former ESPN colleague Cari Champion are joining forces again with a new women’s sports talk show called “Flagrant and Funny.”
The duo co-hosted a show called a Vice TV show titled “Cari and Jemele Won’t Stick to Sports” which ran from 2020-21.
