Former Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa said in an interview with ESPN this week that he stopped posting tweets expressing his support for President Trump because he’s headed to San Francisco following the NFL Draft.
“I had to,” the highly touted prospect said when asked about having a quieter presence on social media this year. “There is a chance I might end up in San Francisco.”
Bosa was selected by the 49ers with the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft tonight.
Bosa has described himself as a “big fan” of Trump.
“He brings a charisma to the table that none of the other candidates have in my lifetime,” Bosa said in 2016.
Bosa also “liked” controversial tweets from outspoken conservative Tomi Lahren, backed Candace Owens after she made controversial comments about Adolf Hitler, and he followed an account that degrades the homeless population in San Francisco.
With that attitude, many NFL fans have asked whether he’d really be comfortable playing in progressive cities.
During his three seasons at Ohio State, Bosa didn’t shy away from voicing his opinions on social media.
Most of them aimed at African Americans, leading to questions of whether he is a racist.
Among other things, he referred to former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick as a “clown” and often ridiculed him for his stand against police brutality.
He called Beyoncé’s music “trash” even if she’s the most-nominated female artist in GRAMMY history.
And he called Black Panther, the third highest grossing movie in US history, the worst Marvel movie of all time.
He also shared a tweet calling former President Ronald Reagan and Trump the “GOATs,” an abbreviation used for “Greatest of All Time.”
ESPN notes that Bosa, whose brother Joey plays for the Los Angeles Chargers, has deleted many of his tweets about controversial subjects, including the one about Kaepernick.
Bosa is expected to be one of the first players selected in the 2019 NFL Draft.
He told ESPN that the Arizona Cardinals would be making a “big mistake” if they chose to pick someone other than himself with the first pick.
Bosa quit playing for the Buckeyes midway through his junior season after a groin injury, prompting some criticism.
“Nick Bosa bothers me,” wrote Mike Farrell of rivals.com “Remember, I’m the cranky guy who wants everything to be the same way it was years ago, so my opinion might be a bit skewed. However, when a player announces that they will quit on their team mid-way through the season to focus on the NFL, I can’t help but being enraged.”
It should be noted that Bosa is still MAGA, loves Trump, hates Kap and Beyonce, and hasn’t changed his views.
He just isn’t going to speak about it in a public forum, not wanting to effect his job prospects.