Former NFL MVP Boomer Esiason has strongly criticized Chicago Sky player DiJonai Carrington for her reaction to a flagrant foul she committed against Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham. Esiason described Carrington's post on social media platform Threads, which referenced "white privilege," as a "targeted attack" potentially linked to Cunningham's public stance on transgender athletes.
During the first quarter of a game on August 8, Carrington was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul and ejected for a hard foul on Cunningham. Shortly after the incident, Carrington posted "WHITE PRIVILEGE" on Threads, implying a racial motivation behind the ejection. Esiason questioned this assertion on his radio show, asking how listeners were expected to react to such a statement following a flagrant foul.
"I think because of the timeline of everything, because of, if you want to call it, the jealous nature, the legitimate hatred for somebody because of what they believe in and because of what they look like and because of how popular they are, I could say it's a targeted attack," Esiason stated. His co-host, Gregg Giannotti, agreed with this assessment, noting that "most people believe that."
The WNBA has not yet issued a statement regarding Carrington's foul or her social media post, despite inquiries from media outlets.
Cunningham had previously drawn significant attention in July after sharing her views on women's sports, stating in an interview that she believes women should not have to compete against biological men. She clarified that her position was not one of hatred but aimed at protecting young girls in sports. Cunningham described her political beliefs as being "in the middle," agreeing and disagreeing with aspects on both sides of the issue, and noted that people often make assumptions about her views.
Carrington returned to play for the Sky on August 12, scoring 26 points in their loss to the Seattle Storm.