Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed is facing fresh scrutiny after years-old writings resurfaced in which he blamed “toxic masculinity” for problems in American football and described racism, misogyny and homophobia as deeply embedded in the sport’s culture.
The remarks came in a 2021 Substack post written after then-Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden resigned over emails containing racist, homophobic and misogynistic language.
“The toxic masculinity at the heart of America’s most popular sport — and men’s sports culture more generally — is way deeper than a few emails or a Jay-Z turnaround,” El-Sayed wrote.
The comments are notable because El-Sayed spent years playing football himself.
He was a captain and two-year starter at Andover High School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, playing center on offense and nose guard on defense.
A 2002 newspaper preview listed him at 5-foot-8 and 205 pounds and identified him as one of three returning captains.
El-Sayed later described football as an important part of his childhood, while also painting a far darker picture of what he said happened off the field.
“On the football field, I felt free,” El-Sayed wrote. “And yet on the sidelines and in the locker room, I was fed a hefty dose of the worst kinds of racist taunting.”
He argued that a specific “bro” culture had been passed down through football for years.
“Racism, misogyny, and homophobia were lingua franca,” he wrote.
El-Sayed also accused the NFL of “deep-rooted racism,” citing Colin Kaepernick’s protests and the league’s later attempts to promote social justice messaging.
Abdul El-Sayed: “Football is very much associated with a particularly masculine and oftentimes toxically masculine culture.” pic.twitter.com/ThhWjtQQgO
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) August 10, 2026
“Since Colin Kaepernick unveiled the league’s deep-rooted racism, the NFL’s has hired Jay-Z to lead a brand turnaround,” El-Sayed wrote.
He then pointed to the fictional Apple TV+ soccer coach Ted Lasso as a model for what sports leadership should look like.
“Ted cries. He talks through his problems. He encourages his players. He bakes biscuits (er, cookies) for his boss. He smiles … like, all the time,” El-Sayed wrote.
Abdul El-Sayed said coaches should build environments around “positive, inclusive, and empowering values,” while still acknowledging that sports can teach discipline, teamwork and perseverance.
“Sport is a metaphor for life,” El-Sayed wrote. “For millions of young people, sports can teach life’s lessons in a safe and nurturing environment.”
His views on sports also spilled into politics.
In a separate 2021 Substack post, El-Sayed praised European soccer as more egalitarian than American professional sports leagues.
“But European soccer also speaks to my politics,” El-Sayed wrote. “Compared to American sports leagues, the sport is also deeply egalitarian.”
The resurfaced writings come at a rough time for El-Sayed as he moves into the general election against Republican Mike Rogers.
El-Sayed narrowly defeated Rep. Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary and is now trying to broaden his appeal beyond the progressive base that helped power his campaign.
His platform includes Medicare for All, removing corporate money from politics and other left-wing priorities, though he has insisted he is “not a socialist.”
His campaign has drawn support from Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, socialist organizations and political streamer Hasan Piker.
Rogers has already begun framing the race as a stark choice between progressive activism and a more traditional conservative agenda.
“He wants to lead a movement,” Rogers said during a Republican unity rally in Grand Rapids last week. “I want to build a better life for Michigan citizens.”
With the Nov. 3 election approaching, El-Sayed now has another set of old remarks to answer for as Republicans work to define him as far outside Michigan’s political mainstream.
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