Papa John’s has officially apologized for comments CEO John Schnatter recently made in which he blamed the wave of NFL players’ national anthem protests for the pizza company’s decline in sales.

Papa John’s Pizza sales decline news

Schnatter said on Nov. 1 that “NFL leadership has hurt Papa John’s shareholders” and that the protests “should have been nipped in the bud a year and a half ago.”

Here is the apology statement Papa John’s released Tuesday:

“The statements made on our earnings call were describing the factors that impact our business and we sincerely apologize to anyone that thought they were divisive. That definitely was not our intention. We believe in the right to protest inequality and support the players’ movement to create a new platform for change. We also believe together, as Americans, we should honor our anthem. There is a way to do both.”

“We will work with the players and league to find a positive way forward. Open to ideas from all…”

Schnatter — who often appears in the company’s commercials alongside notable celebrities like Peyton Manning — is known to be a friend of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. Jones recently threatened to sue the NFL over current contract discussions with commissioner Roger Goodell. Jones and President Donald Trump, among others, have lambasted the anthem protests.

Groups of neo-Nazis and other white supremacists recently caused a stir by claiming Papa John’s as their official pizza. The company released another statement saying it refuses to sell pizza to this type of customers. Comedian Stephen Colbert commented on this news:

Papa John’s stock has dropped by nearly 13 percent since Schnatter’s remarks.

NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 31: John H. Schnatter, Founder, Chairman & CEO of Papa John’s International, Inc. rings the NASDAQ Opening Bell at NASDAQ MarketSite on January 31, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images)

Jemele Hill created an online storm on Monday after sending out a series of tweets lambasting President Donald Trump as a “white supremacist,” and ESPN has now reprimanded the SportsCenter anchor.

ESPN anchor Jemele Hill Trump Tweets News

In a statement released Tuesday, ESPN said 41-year-old Hill’s comments do not reflect the network’s opinions.

Apparently in response to three people, Hill began by saying “Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself with other white supremacists.”

She then went on to explain what “the height of white privilege” means to her:

Hill finished off by calling Trump “ignorant, offensive, unqualified and unfit to be president.”

ESPN has been accused by hard-line conservative for being too openly liberal with its politics. The network has not said whether Hill will be suspended or face any other type of punishment for her posts, which come after a series of clashes between Neo-Nazis, KKK members and other white supremacists and counter-protesters across the country.

Hill has not commented on the incident since ESPN’s statement was released. However, one notable athlete who has also caused controversy for making statements about racial injustice expressed his support for the anchor on Twitter: Colin Kaepernick.

“We are with you @jemelehill,” the free-agent quarterback wrote.

In March, Hill tweeted that while there was a “limited market” for Kaepernick, once Trump told a rally that NFL owners “don’t want to get a nasty tweet” from him about signing the quarterback, Kaepernick would likely remain a free agent. When the Ravens, in the wake of a July injury to quarterback Joe Flacco, added a relative unknown in David Olson, Hill criticized the team by tweeting that Baltimore “signed a dude who quit football to be a realtor and played in 2 games in college over a Super Bowl QB.”

Kaepernick helped lead the San Francisco 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII after the 2012 season — his second year with the Niners — but the team lost to the Ravens.

ESPN also recently faced controversy in the wake of the protests in Charlottesville, Virginia in August. The network chose to remove announcer Robert Lee from its coverage of a football game at the University of Virginia — which is located in Charlottesville — because he shares the same name as Confederate General Robert E. Lee, a statue whose removal sparked the rally in the city on Aug. 11.

LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 27: Jemele Hill attends the official BET Experience gifting suite sponsored by Hennessy at Los Angeles Convention Center on June 27, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images for Hennessy V.S)

The NBA released a statement late Monday night explaining that Atlanta Hawks center Dwight Howard should not have been ejected for hanging on the rim.

NBA Statement: Dwight Howard Should Not Have Been Tossed For Hanging On Rim

In the Hawks’ 114-98 victory over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Monday, Howard was called for his second technical foul with about four minutes remaining in the third quarter after hanging on the rim on a dunk.

Howard’s first technical came after he pushed Al Horford as a response to the Celtics All-Star’s foul on him, and the TD Garden crowd began booing. The Hawks center also fouled Isaiah Thomas by grabbing him near his neck, shortly before receiving his first technical.

In its statement, the NBA said Howard’s second technical for hanging on the rim “should have been deemed non-unsportsmanlike and should not have resulted in his ejection.”

Howard recorded 17 points and 12 rebounds before being tossed.

“It was a good team win,” Howard said. “I apologized to the guys and told them I need to do a better job of keeping my composure and some other things and they understood.”

Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer said seeing his team win a physical issue is a good sign.

”I thought that was the thing that maybe stood out. We had an edge, we had a competitive, just a level that you need to compete in this league,” he said. ”I think the group understands what that is.”

The Hawks snapped a three-game skid with the win, while the Celtics ended a seven-game home winning streak.

Boston struggled all night offensively, despite guard Avery Bradley returning to the starting lineup after missing 22 of the previous 23 games with a right Achilles tendon injury. Bradley scored six points in 15 minutes of play.

”I just feel like we played hard enough,” Bradley said. ”In the second half they played harder than us. They punked us.”

The Hakws next begin a six-game homestand Wednesday night against Dallas, while the Celtics will host the Eastern conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers that night. Boston lost the first two games at Cleveland this season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcO7oZM6Ejk

BOSTON, MA – FEBRUARY 27: Dwight Howard #8 of the Atlanta Hawks is ejected from the game following his second technical foul against the Boston Celtics during the third quarter at TD Garden on February 27, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Teddy Bridgewater, a Minnesota Vikings quarterback, suffered a dislocated knee and torn ACL at practice on Tuesday, the team announced in a statement.

Teddy Bridgewater Releases Statement After Suffering Dislocated Knee, Torn ACL

“After undergoing an MRI, it was determined that Teddy suffered a complete tear to his ACL and other structural damage,” the statement read. “Fortunately, there appears to be no nerve or arterial damage. Surgical repair will be scheduled within the next few days.

“Although the recovery time will be significant, we expect Teddy to make a full recovery. I would like to thank all of the medical professionals and our athletic training staff for all of their help today. Teddy has already displayed the attitude needed to overcome this injury and attack his rehab.”

The injury announcement was made roughly two hours after Bridgewater went down with a non-contact injury that ended the session after just 30 minutes.

The quarterback himself also released a statement, in which he expressed his gratitude to the Vikings organization, as well as his determination to fight his injury and make a strong return. The statement, released early Thursday, read:

“I want to thank the Wilf Family and the entire Vikings organization, all of my teammates, friends, Eric Sugarman and the amazing Vikings athletic training staff and the fans who have sent me messages and wished me well. Your thoughts and prayers mean a lot to me and have helped me in this difficult time. There are great players and great leaders in our locker room who are going to fight to the end to reach the goals we set for 2016. I will be there mentally, physically and in spirit to support them accomplish those goals.”

Bridgewater continued: “In order to have a testimony, you have to have a test. I come from amazing DNA, I watched my mom fight and win against breast cancer. We will, as a team, attack my rehab with the same vigor and energy. My faith is strong, my faith is unwavering and my vision is clear. My purpose will not be denied.”

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer stated the 23-year-old QB had to be sedated before undergoing an MRI at the hospital.

When asked if there was a chance Bridgewater could play this season, Zimmer responded, “It doesn’t look good right now.”

“We’re not going to stick our heads in the sand, tuck our tail between our legs,” Zimmer said about the bind Bridgewater’s injury could put the team in. “We’re not going to make excuses.

“Everybody can count us out but I think that’d be the wrong thing to do.”

Per the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Bridgewater was clutching his left knee at practice as teammates prayed around him.

Bridgewater was carried off the field in an ambulance to the hospital as his team feared the worst.

The QB only threw 14 touchdowns last season, although he led a run-first offense that helped Minnesota win the NFC North division and come within a missed field goal of defeating the Seahawks in the playoffs. Over his first two seasons, he passed for more yards than any quarterback in Vikings history over the same time frame. He also has the highest completion percentage (64.9) of any quarterback over his first two seasons in NFL history.

His 3,231 passing yards earned him a Pro Bowl bid and pushed the 2014 first-round pick into his third season.

This preseason, Bridgewater was 18 of 23 (78.3 percent) with 253, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Shaun Hill and Joel Stave are the team’s other quarterbacks.

Hill, 34, is 16-18 as a starter in his career.

“I have confidence in Shaun,” Zimmer said. “I think he’s played great this preseason. He’s been in two-minute drills. He’s done a phenomenal job.”

This offseason, the Vikings spent another first-round pick on a wide receiver — Laquon Treadwell — in the hopes that his playmaking ability could match Bridgewater’s potential as a franchise quarterback.

On Wednesday, the team officially placed Bridgewater on injured reserve and re-signed quarterback Brad Sorensen, who was recently waived by the team.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JANUARY 10: Teddy Bridgewater #5 of the Minnesota Vikings drops back in the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks during the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at TCFBank Stadium on January 10, 2016 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)