Ad Disclosure
Al Sharpton weighs in on Justin Fields’ eligibility situation
Published:
As February approaches, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields hopes to hear something soon from the NCAA regarding his petition for immediate eligibility for the 2019 season.
Fields, who transferred from Georgia following the season, is using Arkansas-based attorney Tom Mars to assist him to pursue immediate eligibility with the Buckeyes. Mars has had his fair share of success with the NCAA in the past.
When the process started Mars said he expected a decision to come quickly, potentially by the end of January. Fields’ is appealing for immediate eligibility because of a racial slur and insults that were hurled at him during the Georgia-Tennessee football game by a UGA baseball player.
Sunday night, Al Sharpton weighed in on the situation, essentially saying that Fields’ request to play immediately by the NCAA should be granted.
“I wonder if any in the NCAA has suffered the humiliation of being top-rated, good at what you do, but no matter what you do being called a racial name…what it does to your skills, your character, what it does to your mind,” Sharpton said on MSNBC. “I would hope the NCAA realizes that to take him off the field a year for transferring because of racism is in many ways to cosign the insults that he’s had to endure.”
Sharpton also mentioned that the NCAA is scheduled to meet this week regarding Fields’ waiver and whether or not it will be granted for the 2019 season.
Fields is a former five-star quarterback and would’ve been the highest-rated prospect in Ohio State history as a recruit.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB