Jack Brewer, a former captain of the Minnesota Vikings, has publicly criticized Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve after she wore a shirt reading «trans kids belong» before a WNBA game in Minnesota. Brewer said the coach’s decision sent a damaging message to young girls and promoted the idea that transgender athletes should be allowed to compete in women’s sports. His comments followed Sunday’s matchup between the Lynx and the Indiana Fever at the Target Center.
The game had already drawn protest outside the arena. Activists gathered for the third organized rally in support of WNBA player Sophie Cunningham’s public backing for protecting women’s sports, with women’s rights campaigners and pro-transgender counter-protesters facing one another. Reeve’s shirt added another layer of tension to the scene.
In a statement, Brewer said it was sad to think that young girls in Minnesota come to games and see a team promote such a message. He argued that it was ridiculous for a grown woman to go so hard in support of men playing against women and entering women’s locker rooms. Brewer went further, saying that children who should be receiving psychiatric treatment should instead be affirmed, and he described the coach’s message as disgusting. He said the people behind such promotion are sick and need help, and that they should be prayed for and treated rather than celebrated.
Brewer, a former University of Minnesota football player who joined the Vikings in 2002, said the issue is personal to him. He has an eight-year-old daughter who plays competitive tennis and soccer and trains in Minnesota in the summer. He said his family’s ties to the state are strong, with cousins, grandparents, aunts, uncles and nieces and nephews living there and cousins coaching local sports teams. «It is embarrassing», he said.
Reeve was not the only WNBA figure to be pulled into the debate. In the past week, three other coaches — Natalie Nakase of the Golden State Valkyries, Stephanie White of the Indiana Fever and Alex Sarama of the Portland Fire — declined to back protecting women’s sports during pre-game press conferences. The Seattle Storm also suspended and fined co-owner Celeste Keaton after she allegedly berated two young Cunningham fans sitting courtside who had celebrated Cunningham’s stance.
Brewer urged WNBA coaches, owners and teams to speak out. He said every coach who loves God, loves his country and wants to protect women should condemn coaches who are ignorant on the issue, and that people should be held accountable for promoting messages he considers harmful. He also renewed his criticism of how the league has treated Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark.
The former Vikings captain said Clark sells more jerseys than other players in the league and should be the face of the WNBA. He compared her impact on the league to Michael Jordan’s impact on the NBA and argued that her image should become the WNBA’s logo, just as Jerry West’s silhouette became the NBA logo. Brewer said he remembers watching the WNBA in its early years, when crowds were small and admission was often free, and argued that Clark has made the league popular enough to fill stadiums. He accused the league of failing to fully support Clark because she does not fit the race-and-gender ideology the league wants to project.
Brewer said Cunningham has gained popularity because she stands up for herself and for Clark. He voiced strong support for her, saying he has her back and is a Sophie Cunningham fan. He acknowledged that he does not agree with everything she does and thinks she can be too provocative, but he still prays for her and likes that she defends Clark. «She is standing up for herself and standing up for Caitlin Clark. I love her for that», he said.