A Philadelphia Eagles The fan’s former employers spoke out against some of the backlash the company received following the man’s incident with some Green Bay Packers fans this weekend.
Lawrence Hibbert and Dr. Randal Pinkett, the co-founders of DEI-focused BCT Partners in New Jersey, spoke with TMZ Sports and defended their business against negative social media posts and reviews left online after the incident.
“Some of the posts and comments made about our company are just as despicable, if not more despicable, than the comments about (Ryan Caldwell). That’s the point, right?” Pinkett said. “That’s the problem with the culture that we’ve created that we’re in, is that there’s no room for grace. There is no room, there are only two extremes: you are okay or you are canceled.
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Philadelphia Eagles fans cheer during a game against the Green Bay Packers in an NFC wild card game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on January 12, 2025. (Eric Hartline-Imagn images)
“We believe that there is a middle ground in which we can recover from mistakes, we can learn and we can grow. We believe that Mr. Caldwell can learn and grow, but we believe that our society can also learn and grow. That we can criticize “We can condemn the behavior without condemning the individual.”
Hibbert has been lamenting in recent days as the company is in the process of celebrating a major milestone.
“This has been a very difficult time over the last 24 to 48 hours,” Hibbert said, adding that the company is celebrating its 25th anniversary. “…And when you get posts on social media and national media that question your integrity and how you operate, it hurts. But we also believe that we can stand on our track record and we wanted to take advantage of these opportunities use to affirm that even in the difficult times we are going to operate based on our value system and do what we believe is right.”
EAGLES FAN SEEN IN VILE TIRADE AGAINST FEMALE PACKERS SUPPORTER LOSES JOB AT DEI-FOCUSED NJ COMPANY
The fan was identified as Ryan Caldwell and the company announced Tuesday that it had parted ways with him. Pinkett said they knew from the video it was Caldwell.
Philadelphia Eagles fans react against the Green Bay Packers in an NFC wild card game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on January 12, 2025. (Bill Streicher-Imagn images)
“I can’t say enough about how appalling the behavior we witnessed was and how angry I was to see someone associated with our company at the time engage in that type of behavior,” he said.
Caldwell was seen berating a woman Packers fan while her fiancé recorded the incident. He repeatedly called her a “stupid c—” and a “c—“.
Caldwell released a statement to Fox News Digital Wednesday.
“While attending an NFL game last Sunday to support my beloved Philadelphia Eagles, an incident occurred that I deeply regret,” he said. “What started as banter with two Packers fans sitting next to me escalated into something more serious, and I said things that were unacceptable. In the heat of the moment, I chose brutal words to address one of the fans:
“Ms. Ally Keller. I would like to sincerely apologize to Ms. Keller for these words, and to my wife, family and friends, my former employer and colleagues, Packer fans, Eagle fans, the Philadelphia Eagles, the city of Philadelphia, and anyone who was offended. That said, there are two sides to every story.
Detailed view of a Philadelphia Eagles helmet against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
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“The video clip circulating online does not provide the full context of what happened, and my actions were not without provocation. I will live with this experience, and I am certainly paying a personal price. For those who don’t know me, this is an incident does not reflect my values or the respect I have for others and is not indicative of the person I am.”
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