Papa John’s Owner Apologizes for Devisive Remarks About NFL Player Protests

John Schnatter, the CEO of Papa John’s, made a statement on his social media to the effect that the protests being carried out by NFL players to protest racial injustice is hurting his pizza sales. This week he made a turn-around and apologized for the statement. On top of that, a group of white supremacists declared Papa John’s the official pizza of its group. Schnatter had also said on an earnings call that the NFL’s failure to resolve the protests “has hurt Papa John’s shareholders.” On Tuesday, Papa John’s Twitter account issued a statement saying the company had no intention of creating the impression that it blamed protesters for lowered sales, and that it supports the right to protest. The comments also said that as Americans, “we should honor our anthem…” and that the company would work with the NFL and players to “find a positive way forward.” And Schnatter added, “Open to ideas from all… except neo-Nazis.”