“Whereas a nickname is just a nickname and ‘AR-15’ was merely a illustration of my initials mixed with my jersey quantity, it is very important me that my identify and model are now not related to the assault rifle that has been utilized in mass shootings, which I don’t condone in any means or type,” the Gators participant stated in an announcement
printed to his Twitter.
Richardson stated that, after pondering onerous and consulting with family and friends, he would now not use the nickname and would cease utilizing a emblem that includes a scope reticle as a part of his branding.
“My representatives and I are presently engaged on rebranding, which incorporates the creation of a brand new emblem and transitioning to easily utilizing ‘AR’ and my identify, Anthony Richardson,” he added.
Richardson, who break up time with Emory Jones as a redshirt freshman final season, threw for 529 yards, six touchdowns and 5 interceptions in seven video games. Richardson is predicted to be Florida’s beginning quarterback this season, as Jones transferred to Arizona State earlier this 12 months.
CNN has reached out to Florida for remark.
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America’s downside with gun violence has as soon as once more been delivered to the fore by an alarming surge in mass shootings, like these at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, an elementary college in Uvalde, Texas, and at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois.
AR model weapons have been utilized in a few of the nation’s deadliest shootings, together with Uvalde, Tulsa, El Paso, Parkland, San Bernardino and Newtown.
There have been 352 mass shootings within the US this 12 months as of Monday morning, in line with the Gun Violence Archive. The archive and CNN outline a mass taking pictures as an incident during which 4 or extra individuals are shot, not together with the shooter.
