National Football League

Senator: NFL more concerned about deflated balls than 'racist' Redskins

Published May. 12, 2015 11:03 a.m. ET

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Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid says the National Football League is more concerned with air in footballs than the Washington Redskins' "racist" name.

Reid spoke on the Senate floor a day after the NFL suspended New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady for the first four games of the upcoming season for his role in a scheme to deflate footballs used in the AFC title game. The league also fined the Patriots $1 million and took away two draft picks.

The Nevada senator said he wished Commissioner Roger Goodell would act as swiftly to change a name that denigrates Native Americans as he did about "enough air in a football."

Reid has criticized the team's name in the past and engaged in a war of words with the Washington club.