Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said earlier this year that bad press is good for the NFL. Following the team’s announced sponsorship with the Black Rifle Coffee Company, the most popular team in the NFL is now receiving intense scrutiny.
In a video released Tuesday, the Cowboys announced a new partnership with the gun-themed coffee company based out of Utah. Founded in 2014, Black Rifle Coffee Company was created by Evan Hafer, who served in the U.S. Army for two decades.
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The company offers a variety of bean flavors, with names like “Murdered Out”, “AK-47 Espresso” and “Coffee or Die”. While it is a military-focused company, the heavy ties to guns and shooting served as the fuel of outrage toward the Cowboys.
Dallas instantly received criticism on Twitter, with many criticizing the timing and nature of the partnership just days after the deadly mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois. It also comes less than two months after the tragedy at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, which left 19 children and two teachers dead with the shooter using an AR-15-style rifle.
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Some fans even responded to the Cowboys’ tweet announcement, tying back the statement released on May 24 after the Uvalde shooting.
The Cowboys’ tweet and its sponsorship with Black Rifle Coffee remain as of Wednesday morning, with the team also holding a contest offering a pair of tickets to a Cowboys’ home game and a year-long subscription to the coffee company.
According to the Associated Press, the Cowboys and Jerry Jones declined to comment on the backlash towards the sponsorship.
“BRCC is proud to partner with the Dallas Cowboys, who are strongly committed to our mission of supporting veterans, first responders, and America’s men and women in uniform. The long-planned announcement was timed to coincide with the Independence Day holiday — America’s Team. America’s Coffee. America’s Birthday.”
Spokesperson for Black Rifle Coffee Company on partnership with Dallas Cowboys (H/T AP)
As of Wednesday, the NFL has not commented on the Cowboys’ sponsorship. Given Jones’ history of sticking by his decisions, it seems unlikely that he will terminate the partnership despite the outrage.
