Defensive tackle A.J. Francis found a new job just days after being released by the Washington Redskins and celebrated the moment by ripping his old team on Instagram, including calling out their "racist" logo.
Francis signed with the New York Giants on Wednesday. He was one of three defensive tackles released by the Redskins on Monday after they selected two defensive tackles in the draft.
After signing with the Giants, Francis posted an Instagram picture of himself laughing. He wrote, "When the team you were on didn't appreciate you but the team you played against actually pays attention to the film," and added in the hashtags he was looking forward to playing the Redskins twice next season.
He then added, "#AndYourLogoIsRacist."
Redskins owner Dan Snyder has remained firm in his desire to keep the team's nickname and logo. Despite increasing pressure from Native American groups, led by the Change the Mascot campaign, Snyder hasn't budged, once telling USA Today that he'll never change the nickname and "you can use caps."
"Change the Mascot thanks A.J. Francis for having the courage to state the obvious: the name and logo of the Washington NFL team for which he used to play is racist," the organization said in a statement Thursday.
"Nobody in America deserves to be the target of racial slurs, and Mr. Francis joins a respected group of professional athletes, civil rights activists, religious leaders, journalists and policymakers who have spoken out against the continued refusal of the team to treat people of color with respect."
Last year, the Supreme Court ruled that a trademark law that bars disparaging terms infringed on free speech rights and was unconstitutional, providing a boost to the Redskins.
Francis, 27, appeared in six games for the Redskins last season. He had 18 tackles, including a season-best six in the season finale against the Giants.
