Former Pitt linebacker Elias Reynolds has accused Pitt Head Coach Pat Narduzzi of making racially insensitive remarks to his former teammates and opponents.
Reynolds, who started nine games over three seasons with the Panthers before deciding to enter the transfer portal, took to Twitter to open up about his time in Pittsburgh. Reynolds started by saying:
“Not only happening at Pitt! The time to speak is now. These coaches are being given passes to get by from people who have no right to hand them out in the first place. SPEAK OUT! THEY ARE NOT REALLY WHO THEY SAY THEY ARE!”
Not only happening at Pitt !! The time to speak is now. These coaches are being given passes to get by from people who have no right to hand them out in the first place. SPEAK OUT!!! THEY NOT REALLY WHO THEY SAY THEY ARE!!!! https://t.co/EB3wDZNBIj
— Elias Reynolds (@xliv_era) June 2, 2020
Later, Coach Narduzzi posted a message on social media, expressing his sadness about what happened to George Floyd and racial disparity in our country. “Following a conversation with our football team today, I felt compelled to comment. I am not one to post on social media beyond Pitt football and my job as head coach. My Twitter has stayed way from political or social issues. But after events of last week, when George Floyd was murdered at the hands of four police officers. I am saddened and sickened. There is no place in the world for evil racism. Our university, and certainly our football program, are committed to working together for a better, more unified society. We are all one and racism should never be tolerated.
#BlackLivesMatter #Unity pic.twitter.com/ST1nG14Cjm
— Pat Narduzzi (@CoachDuzzPittFB) June 2, 2020
Reynolds fired back at his former coach by saying the following: “What conversation? Several people on the team confirmed that you spoke about what’s going on in the world for about two minutes in today’s meeting and haven’t spoken about it until today. Those two minutes consisted of you telling the team that you felt like you didn’t have to speak on the matter because it didn’t personally affect you due to George Floyd’s death occuring all the way in Minneapolis. On top of that, a current player just recently tweeted that the leader of the team (YOU) has shown no empathy in regards to the matter, so how saddened and sickened are you really? You aren’t fooling anyone and if you are a coach that doesn’t condone this type of behavior/attitude but has stood by and allowed it, then you are just as guilty!”
I’m just gone leave this right here. https://t.co/Ryii9hJaDY pic.twitter.com/XbWULJQc32
— Elias Reynolds (@xliv_era) June 3, 2020
In addition, another former player, Justin Morgan, posted a message on Twitter saying, “Remember when he told me to cut my dreads then said it was pitiful when he didn’t see me with a hair cut the next day?”
Remember when he told me to cut my dreads then said it was pitiful when he didn’t see me with a hair cut the next day. https://t.co/5SLsXfpPlH
— Justin Morgan 🖐🏾 (@_heavyhittajus) June 2, 2020
Although these are both former players, it’s obvious that there is internal strife within the Pitt locker room, as current players are leaking stories and information to former players. Narduzzi has yet to comment on the accusations by his former players.
