Los Angeles Rams All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald has canceled his marketing deal with Kanye West’s Donda Sports. Donald announced this on Tuesday. The decision comes after West recently made several anti-Semitic comments that led to the rapper being dropped from several major companies.
Donald announced in May that he had joined Donda Sports, which West founded and named after his late mother. Donda Sports only represented Donald in his marketing deals.
The full statement from Donald and his wife Erica is below:
“Our family has made the decision to part ways with Donda Sports. Recent comments and portrayals of hate and antisemitism are the polar opposite of how we live our lives and raise our children. We feel that they are irresponsible and go against everything we believe in as a family.
“As parents and members of society, we felt an obligation to send a clear message that hateful words and actions have consequences and that we as human beings must do better than misrepresent and oppress people of any origin, ethnicity or race.
“We have had the pleasure of working with many incredible people along our journey and hope to continue to use our platform to uplift and support other families, children and communities through positive outreach.”
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown also announced Tuesday that he was ending his association with Donda Sports.
Donald was the only known active NFL player to sign with Donda. Free agent wide receiver Antonio Brown was named Donda Sports president in February.
The 24-time Grammy winner wrote on Twitter earlier this month that he was going “dead.” [sic] con 3” on Jews. He has worn White Lives Matter shirts and has previously said slavery is a choice.
Adidas dropped West over his comments on Tuesday. The brand had partnered with West since 2016, and breaking the partnership could cost the brand as much as $246 million, according to the company.
“Adidas does not condone anti-Semitism or any other type of hate speech,” the company said in a statement Tuesday. “Yes’ recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and violate the company values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness.”
Donald said on the I Am Athlete podcast in May that the partnership with West and Donda Sports is “a hell of an opportunity to open a lot of different doors.”
“It was an opportunity that presented itself to us, me and [my wife], and it made sense,” Donald told the podcast. “Hearing the full spectrum of what they would bring, all the family atmosphere that they got at Donda Sports. It’s not just me, my wife is one of them. For me it was child’s play.”
In an interview with Piers Morgan last week, West called Donald in a rambling defense of his anti-Semitic comments and what an apology it would take.
“When I sit down with the people who write the contracts for the NBA and for the NFL and for professional music and for acting contracts,” West said. “We have to go to the top lawyers, the top managers, the stadium owners, the football team owners and the record company owners and we’re going to get them all in one room. And we’re going to read each one… finish in the top 10 in each of those categories. Let’s read Michael B. Jordan’s contract. Let’s read Aaron Donald’s contract…”
Morgan interrupted West at this point and the two yelled back and forth. West asked to complete what he called “a brilliant idea.” He went on to say he wants to compare and contrast the top contracts in the NFL, NBA and music industries on a live platform with a top-tier legal team.
“After this moment,” West concluded, “then I’ll say I’m sorry.”