Maryland's Firing of Football Coach DJ Durkin Marks a Watershed Moment for Athlete Activism

Once the players protested, the coach had no chance.

The University of Maryland’s board of regents tried to pull a fast one on campus on Tuesday, and boy, did that decision backfire. More than four months after offensive lineman Jordan McNair, 19, died after suffering heatstroke at a football practice, and after an explosive ESPN report unveiled signs of a toxic football coaching environment, Maryland’s leadership concluded that head coach DJ Durkin could return to the sidelines.

An investigative report released in September found that the football team’s trainers and medical staff failed to follow proper protocol in treating McNair; Maryland president Wallace Loh said the school accepts “legal and moral responsibility” for McNair’s death. Another report found that Durkin, in an attempt to motivate his players, showed his players “disturbing” videos that included footage of “serial killers, drills entering eyeballs, bloody scenes with animals eating animals, [and] rams and bucks running at each other at full speed.” The report concluded that Durkin, who has a career 10-15 record at the school and was placed on administrative leave in August, also shared responsibility for failing to supervise a strength and conditioning coach accused of verbal abuse.

Still, Maryland gave Durkin his job back. But some players didn’t welcome his return with open arms. By Wednesday evening, a day after Durkin returned, the University reversed course and let him go.

After the board decided to keep Durkin, Maryland offensive lineman Ellis McKennie—who also played with McNair in high school—was reportedly one of three Terps who walked out of a team meeting. He took to Twitter to criticize his school.

“Every Saturday my teammates and I have to kneel before the memorial of our fallen teammate,” McKennie wrote. “Yet a group of people do not have the courage to hold anyone accountable for his death. If only they could have the courage that Jordan had. It’s never the wrong time to do what’s right.”

A few other Terps chimed in, including offensive tackle Tyran Hunt. “At the end of the day, a YOUNG life was lost,” Hunt wrote. “My brother, teammate. And to boil it down to even horrific matters, a paycheck was chosen over that life. Through whatever and forever, I live for Jordan Martin McNair.”