Cowboys criticized over deal with gun-themed coffee company

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys sparked criticism on social media Tuesday after announcing a marketing agreement with a gun-themed coffee company with blends that include “AK-47 Espresso,” “Silencer Smooth” and “Murdered Out.”

The partnership with the Black Rifle Coffee Co. was revealed on Twitter the day after more than a half-dozen people died in a shooting at a Fourth of July parade in suburban Chicago.

It also comes a little more than a month since the Cowboys announced their role in a $400,000 donation to support victims and survivors of the school shooting in Uvalde in South Texas, where 19 students and two teachers died.

The tweet announcing the agreement between “America’s Team” and “America’s Coffee” drew about 200 comments in the first few hours, most of them critical and suggesting the timing of the announcement was poor.

“Maybe read the room a bit, guys,” one person posted, while another wrote, “The Dallas Cowboys just lost one of their biggest fans. Integrity matters.”

The Cowboys declined comment.