Florida Gators Quarterback Anthony Richardson, a contender for the Heisman trophy, will be changing his nickname “AR-15” because of the controversy sounding the firearm.
As reported in The Daily Wire:
Richardson said that he made the decision to change his “AR-15” nickname, which combines his initials with his jersey number, and his scope reticle logo after speaking to those closest to him.
“After discussions with my family and much thought, I have decided to no longer use the nickname ‘AR-15’ and the current apparel line logo, which features a scope reticle, as part of my branding. While a nickname is only a nickname and ‘AR-15’ was simply a representation of my initials combined with my jersey number, it is important to me that my name and brand are no longer associated with the assault rifle that has been used in mass shootings, which I do not condone in any way or form.”
In his tweet, Richardson referenced the term “assault rifle,” which many on the Left erroneously believe the “AR” in “AR-15” stands for. In fact, the “AR” in AR-15 stands for “ArmaLite Rifle,” the company that designed the gun in 1956. There is no official definition for what is considered an “assault rifle” or an “assault weapon,” as those descriptors have virtually nothing to do with the functionality of the weapon and instead are attached to weapons that Left-wing activists deem to be scary looking.
“My representatives and I are currently working on rebranding, which includes the creation of a new logo and transitioning to simply using ‘AR’ and my name, Anthony Richardson,” Richardson’s statement concluded.
— Anthony Richardson † (@GVOaant) July 17, 2022
Richardson will be going through a rebrand and it is going to be hard for him going forward. A nickname is a big deal in sports and life, losing one as cool as AR-15 is sure to sting.
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