Fans urge NFL to fire Ian Rapoport and James Palmer over classless joke in wake of Brittney Griner prison sentence

NFL reporters Ian Rapoport and James Palmer have received backlash for their recent comments about WNBA superstar Brittney Griner and her prison sentence in Russia.Griner was sentenced to nine years for deliberately smuggling drugs into the country. Palmer, meanwhile, made a tasteless joke about Russian prisons while speaking on-air with Rapoport.&quot;If Ian thinks he can survive in a Russian prison, which apparently he believes, a tackle from Nathaniel Hackett is the least of his problems.&quot;Rapoport clarified that he and Palmer discussed Russian prisons off the air and it wasn't meant to be disclosed.NFL fans were angered by the comments of both Rapoport and Palmer and took to Twitter to state their displeasure.Many fans said the reporters should be terminated by NFL Network:Ryan@ryanhealy@The_DocHolliday @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano What the absolute hell is this? All of those people should be summarily fired.@The_DocHolliday @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano What the absolute hell is this? All of those people should be summarily fired.michaelwong.eth ✨🦇🔊@wongisrite@The_DocHolliday @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano Bye bye guys.1@The_DocHolliday @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano Bye bye guys.Jason Walker@jay79suny00@The_DocHolliday @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano James palmer good luck in your next career.1@The_DocHolliday @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano James palmer good luck in your next career.Warning: NSFW languageKatie Wienke@KatieWienke78Ummmmmmm this is extremely fucked @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano. Kick rocks. twitter.com/the_dochollida…Doc Holliday@The_DocHollidayIn light of Brittney Griner being sentenced to 9 years in a Russian prison this was tacky, inappropriate and insensitive by @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano1307In light of Brittney Griner being sentenced to 9 years in a Russian prison this was tacky, inappropriate and insensitive by @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano https://t.co/y8q2JMQre2Ummmmmmm this is extremely fucked @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano. Kick rocks. twitter.com/the_dochollida…sj for hillary@SJanovsky@The_DocHolliday @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano Take these clowns off the air.22@The_DocHolliday @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano Take these clowns off the air.Other fans tweeted that NFL Network is at fault for the insensitive joke being made on the air:Scott Hable👣@sctthbl@The_DocHolliday @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano No, no!@nflnetwork producers should have gotten in their ears off camera and told them not to mention it on air.Something to the effect of &quot;Don't go there with that reference or you will be in trouble&quot;!1@The_DocHolliday @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano No, no!@nflnetwork producers should have gotten in their ears off camera and told them not to mention it on air.Something to the effect of &quot;Don't go there with that reference or you will be in trouble&quot;!Tony Cordasco@TonyDasco@The_DocHolliday @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano No accountability by @nflnetwork ? That’s something they said off the air too? Really funny inside joke… not2@The_DocHolliday @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano No accountability by @nflnetwork ? That’s something they said off the air too? Really funny inside joke… notKevin Agustin@_kevinagustinYikes NFL Network....... twitter.com/The_DocHollida…Doc Holliday@The_DocHollidayIn light of Brittney Griner being sentenced to 9 years in a Russian prison this was tacky, inappropriate and insensitive by @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano1307In light of Brittney Griner being sentenced to 9 years in a Russian prison this was tacky, inappropriate and insensitive by @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano https://t.co/y8q2JMQre2Yikes NFL Network....... 😬😬😬 twitter.com/The_DocHollida…Some fans also noted how the joke was stated off the air and pointed out the privilege that the two men possess:Brian Greezy@DeeGreezyA look under the veil of how white men really feel. twitter.com/the_dochollida…Doc Holliday@The_DocHollidayIn light of Brittney Griner being sentenced to 9 years in a Russian prison this was tacky, inappropriate and insensitive by @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano1307In light of Brittney Griner being sentenced to 9 years in a Russian prison this was tacky, inappropriate and insensitive by @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano https://t.co/y8q2JMQre2A look under the veil of how white men really feel. twitter.com/the_dochollida…Warning: NSFW languagealan@disneypinjunkie@JamesPalmerTV seems like you’re a racist asshole when the cameras are off and on ! way to go @nfl #racistsnothiding twitter.com/The_DocHollida…Doc Holliday@The_DocHollidayIn light of Brittney Griner being sentenced to 9 years in a Russian prison this was tacky, inappropriate and insensitive by @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano1307In light of Brittney Griner being sentenced to 9 years in a Russian prison this was tacky, inappropriate and insensitive by @nflnetwork @JamesPalmerTV @RapSheet @AndrewSiciliano https://t.co/y8q2JMQre2@JamesPalmerTV seems like you’re a racist asshole when the cameras are off and on ! way to go @nfl #racistsnothiding twitter.com/The_DocHollida…What was the punishment given to Brittney Griner?Judge Anna Sotnikova handed out a nine-year jail sentence and fined Griner one million rubles (currency of Russia), or around $16,400. Sotnikova stated that the court took into consideration Griner's partial admission of guilt and deep regret for her actions, condition of health, and charitable endeavors. Prosecutors wanted her to be sentenced to nine-and-a-half years in jail. Before the verdict, Griner made an apology to the court and sought leniency in an emotional speech.&quot;I never meant to hurt anybody, I never meant to put in jeopardy the Russian population, I never meant to break any laws here. I made an honest mistake and I hope that in your ruling that it doesn't end my life here. I know everybody keeps talking about political pawn and politics, but I hope that, that is far from this courtroom.&quot;The WNBA superstar reiterated that she had no intention of breaking any laws in Russia:&quot;I want to say again that I had no intent on breaking any Russian laws. I had no intent. I did not conspire or plan to commit this crime.&quot;If you use any of the above quotes, please credit CNN, The Spun, and H/T Sportskeeda.