Penn State head coach James Franklin and his team wait to take the field for an NCAA college football game against Purdue in State College, Pa., on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019.
Barry Reeger / AP Photo
Penn State’s James Franklin addresses fan letter criticizing player’s dreadlocks
The letter said Jonathan Sutherland's shoulder-length dreadlocks looked "disgusting."
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The Associated Press
Barry Reeger / AP Photo
Penn State head coach James Franklin and his team wait to take the field for an NCAA college football game against Purdue in State College, Pa., on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019.
(State College) — After a Penn State player received a letter from a fan criticizing his “awful” dreadlocks, Nittany Lions coach James Franklin opened his weekly news conference by talking about how football teams bring people together.
The letter was sent to Penn State safety Jonathan Sutherland and it gained attention after his teammates posted it on social media Monday night. The person, a Penn State graduate, acknowledged writing the letter in an interview with The Tribune-Democrat on Tuesday. The letter said Sutherland’s shoulder-length dreadlocks looked “disgusting.”
Franklin addressed the letter indirectly. He said, “The football that I know and love brings people together and embraces differences.” The coach complimented Sutherland for being “the ultimate example of what our program’s about.”
Sutherland posted on Twitter that the message was “ignorant,” but said he forgave the sender without an apology necessary.
A collection of interviews, photos, and music videos, featuring local musicians who have stopped by the WITF performance studio to share a little discussion and sound. Produced by WITF’s Joe Ulrich.
