Washington Commanders assistant coach Jack Del Rio has been fined $100,000 for calling the attacks on the U.S. Capitol a "dust-up."
Ron Rivera, head coach of the Washington Commanders, said he initiated the fine, which will be donated to the United States Capitol Police Memorial Fund.
"As we saw last night in the hearings, what happened on the Capitol on January 6, 2021 was an act of domestic terrorism," Rivera said in a statement. "A group of citizens attempted to overturn the results of a free and fair election, and as a result, lives were lost and the Capitol building was damaged."
Del Rio issued an apology on Wednesday, saying that his comment about the Capitol Riot was "irresponsible" and "negligent."
However, he stood by his comments about violent protests, pointing out the acts following the death of George Floyd in the summer of 2020. He added that he is a supporter of peaceful protests.
Rivera said Del Rio has the constitutional right to speak his opinion. However, he noted that words can have consequences, especially after "hurting" people in the Washington community.
Rivera added that he believes Del Rio will have a greater understanding of the impact of his words after their conversation Friday morning.
