Anthony Richardson called for an end to the nickname and current apparel line logo after consulting his family about its connotation and association with the gun violence that’s plaguing America.
The red-shirt sophomore said in the tweet, “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.”
The Gainesville native said he and his representatives are working on new branding to just use “AR” and his full name, Anthony Richardson. While there’s no timetable set for when Richardson’s new logo or apparel will come out, the first game of the season for the Gators football team kicks off Sept. 3, against Utah in The Swamp.