Abdul El-Sayed faces scrutiny over resurfaced football comments

Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is facing scrutiny following the resurfacing of a 2023 podcast clip in which he questioned the ethics and safety of American football. The audio, released by the Republican Party, features the Democrat discussing the risks of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and the sport's perceived ties to violence and toxic masculinity.

El-Sayed, who served as his high school football team captain, has previously critiqued the sport. He recently released a video addressing the high costs of attending NFL games, noting that rising ticket and concession prices create economic barriers to a sport that is often subsidized by taxpayers. In 2021, he also wrote about the presence of toxic masculinity within men's sports culture.