Vikings announcer Paul Allen will be stepping away from the mic for a few days after characterizing anti-ICE demonstrators in Minneapolis as “paid protesters.”
Allen opened his show on Monday by apologizing for the comment and announcing that he would be “taking a few days off” amid the backlash.
The controversy began on Friday when Allen and his co-host, former Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway, discussed the internet-fueled myth of trees exploding due to extreme cold. Allen then asked, “In conditions like this, do paid protesters get hazard pay?”
Allen worked in another paid protester reference a few minutes later during a discussion about NFL coaching vacancies.
“Everybody’s catching strays this week,” Allen said. “[Brian] Flores, Kevin Stefanski from Baker [Mayfield], Charlie ‘Biyatch’ caught one out of nowhere. They’re just all over, paid protesters caught one this morning.”
After some internet backlash, driven primarily by sports media sites, Allen apologized and announced he was “taking a few days off.”
“I made a comment on-air Friday about protesters and the weather that was insensitive and poorly timed, and I’m sorry,” he said. “It was a misguided attempt at humor, and while it was never meant with any ill intent or political affront, I absolutely and wholeheartedly want to apologize to those who genuinely were hurt or offended by it. Nine-to-noon doesn’t formulate political opinions. We don’t bash or praise political discussions or even focus on political issues.”
It has not been announced when Allen will return.
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