A Philadelphia Eagles fan’s former employers spoke out against some of the backlash the company received over the man’s incident with a pair of Green Bay Packers fans over the weekend.
Lawrence Hibbert and Dr. Randal Pinkett, the co-founders of the DEI-focused BCT Partners in New Jersey, spoke to TMZ Sports and defended their company over negative social media posts and reviews left online in the wake of the incident.
“Some of the posts, some of the comments that have been made about our company are just as vile, if not more vile, 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’s no room, there’s just two extremes, either you’re OK or you’re cancelled.
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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 there is a middle ground where we can recover from mistakes, we can learn, and we can grow. We believe Mr. Caldwell can learn and grow, but we believe our community can also can learn and grow. That we can criticize behavior, we can condemn the behavior without condemning the individual.”
Hibbert lamented the past few days as the company is celebrating an important milestone.
“This has been a really difficult time over the last 24-48 hours,” Hibbert said, adding that the company is celebrating its 25th anniversary. “… And when you get posts on social media and national media questioning your integrity and how you work, it hurts. But we also believe we can stand on our track record and we wanted to use these opportunities to confirm that even in difficult times we will operate on our value system and do what we believe is right.”
EAGLES FAN SETS IN SMITH TIRADE AGAINST FEMALE PACKERS SUPPORTERS LOSE JOB AT DEI-FOCUSED NJ COMPANY
The fan was identified as Ryan Caldwell, and the company announced it had parted ways with him on Tuesday. Pinkett said they knew it was Caldwell from the video.
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 Photos)
“I can’t say enough about how abhorrent the behavior we observed was and how upset I was to see someone associated with our company at the time engage in that kind of behavior,” he said.
Caldwell was seen berating a female Packers fan while her fiance recorded the incident. He called her a “stupid c—” and a “c—” repeatedly.
Caldwell released a statement to Pakinomist Digital on Wednesday.
“While attending an NFL game last Sunday to support my beloved Philadelphia Eagles, an incident occurred that I deeply regret,” he said. “What began as banter with two Packers fans sitting near me escalated into something more serious and I said things that were unacceptable. In the heat of the moment, I chose merciless words to address a of the fans,
“Ms. Ally Keller. I want to sincerely apologize to Ms. Keller for these words, and to my wife, family and friends, my former employer and co-workers, Packer fans, Eagle fans, the Philadelphia Eagles, the City of Philadelphia, and everyone who was offended That being 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)
“The video clip circulating online does not reflect the full context of what happened and my actions were not without provocation. I will live with this experience and I will certainly pay a personal price. For those who do not know me, This incident does not reflect my values or the respect I have for others and does not reflect the person I am.”
