San Francisco 49ers star Nick Bosa, a master of on-field sacks, pulled off a pretty awkward off-field stunt this past Sunday. Instead of crushing a quarterback, Bosa went for a new kind of play: photobombing his teammates with a MAGA hat. Yep, right in the middle of an NBC post-game interview, Bosa slipped in, slapped on a yellow Trump cap, pointed at it like a guy trying to sell you a timeshare, and then… poof, he was gone. Just like that. No explanation. No follow-up. Just a drive-by hat drop.
Later, when reporters (doing their job, mind you) tried to ask him about his little MAGA moment, Bosa went full “no comment,” offering the riveting explanation: “I’m not gonna talk too much about it, but I think it’s an important time.” Important time for what, exactly? A silent hat protest? A sneaky plug for Donald Trump merch? Who knows! Bosa left everyone guessing as he switched to a politically neutral hat, which apparently is his version of “cool down.”
Meanwhile, in a parallel universe called “Courage and Conviction,” we have Brittney Griner. The WNBA star, Black lesbian, Olympic gold medalist, and all-around warrior has been standing up for what she believes for years—whether it’s against police brutality, racial injustice, or even a corrupt Russian government. She didn’t just wear a hat and scurry away. No, Griner took a knee when it wasn’t trendy, explaining her stance with the same clarity that Bosa avoided like a blitzing linebacker.
Griner’s defiance wasn’t exactly met with open arms. The right-wing peanut gallery called her unpatriotic, and when she was detained in Russia on some highly questionable charges, many of these folks celebrated like it was Super Bowl Sunday. They conveniently overlooked that she was essentially a political pawn, arrested days before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but hey, why let facts get in the way of a good hate-fest?
Yet, here’s where Griner’s story really sticks it to her critics. After enduring 10 months in a Russian prison, the woman came back stronger, wiser, and—brace yourselves—standing for the national anthem. She had crossed her heart for Team USA after winning Olympic gold in Paris, shedding tears as she said, “It means more.” Griner evolved, showing that standing for the anthem, for her, was now a symbol of unity, resilience, and redemption. She didn’t just stand for the song; she stood for something bigger. Bosa, on the other hand, stood for a hat… and then tried to avoid standing at all.
This brings us to the baffling contrast between these two athletes. Bosa’s political leanings aren’t the issue. He has every right to support Donald Trump or wear whatever hat makes him feel like a rebel. But when it comes to backing up his beliefs with actual words? Crickets. He’s happy to troll the world with a quick MAGA cameo but can’t handle a few follow-up questions? For a guy known for bulldozing offensive lines, Bosa sure couldn’t stand up to a roomful of reporters.
To be fair, Bosa’s had his “oops” moments before. Before the 2019 NFL Draft, he scrubbed his Twitter account of some less-than-stellar posts, like racist and homophobic retweets. When asked about it, he essentially shrugged, saying he might end up in San Francisco, a city not exactly known for its MAGA fan club. Call it PR cleanup or self-preservation; either way, it wasn’t exactly a shining example of someone standing tall for their beliefs.
Contrast that with Griner, who—let’s be real—had way more to lose. A Black lesbian athlete criticizing America’s racial issues? That’s a risky career move, especially in a climate where athletes speaking up can have long-term consequences (just ask Colin Kaepernick). But Griner didn’t flinch. She took the heat, explained her position, and never ran from the conversation. Even after being locked up in a Russian prison and facing intense public scrutiny, she stood by her principles and evolved her stance in a way that made sense to her.
Meanwhile, Bosa continues to play peek-a-boo with his politics. He’ll flash a MAGA hat like a rebellious teen but won’t engage in a meaningful conversation about why he supports Trump. You’d think someone who trolled a live TV interview would be ready for a bit of debate, but nope—Bosa’s hat trick ended the moment someone asked him to explain himself.
In a world where athletes are increasingly using their platforms to stand for something, Nick Bosa might want to take a page from Brittney Griner’s playbook. Because, right now, it’s looking like the only thing he’s willing to tackle off the field is the mute button.
