John Brown is doubling down. Months after igniting a firestorm with his comments on race and athletic superiority, Amon-Ra St. Brown’s father used his son’s podcast to defend his controversial stance. Revisiting the backlash over his “you can’t cut it twice” remark, the former bodybuilder insisted his point was about genetics and representation in sports, not excluding athletes from other backgrounds.

“Most of the people, if I’m not mistaken, 56%, I think I read, are black African-Americans in [the] NFL and in basketball [NBA], I think it’s even higher, like up to 70% are black,” John Brown said on the St. Brown podcast. “…So I’m just saying, it seems to me, you have a greater chance if you have some black blood somewhere that runs in your veins.”

During a recent discussion, Amon-Ra St. Brown revisited his father’s comment from July 2025. When asked about the infamous comment of not “cutting it twice,” [John] Brown said he used the phrase out of humor. Describing it as “wordplay,” he highlighted how people push back against “cutting” c—– to prevent it from becoming weaker. 

Yet, he maintained that his actual point was about the representation of the African-American community in professional sports. However, he clarified that he never claimed people from other ethnicities can’t succeed as athletes. To illustrate this, he identified former basketball player Yao Ming as an outlier who didn’t fit the trend and yet made it big.

In his view, talent can come from any background, including White, Asian, and Hispanic, if someone trains hard enough. Using stats to support his case, he still believes that having an African-American heritage may increase the chances of succeeding in those sports. Last year, [John] Brown said he believed in “breeding” in an earlier podcast appearance.

His comment came while answering how he raised both his sons, Amon and Equanimeous, to become top athletes. Their third brother, Osiris St. Brown, also played college football at Stanford University. Meanwhile, John’s wife, Miriam, is a white woman originally from Germany. 

“Look at you – good athlete, good athlete,” he said of his sons. “I’m Black, his mom is White. Now, I’ve stepped on it once, you can’t keep stepping on it because you’re gonna mess it up. You’re going to weaken it. … Can’t keep cutting it…If I’m black, I’ve got the black gold running through my veins, I’m excited. I’m just going to find the right person to mate with. If I’m white, I’m saying, ‘Let me get one of these brothers around here,’ if you want to have athletes.”

Back in the NFL, Amon-Ra St. Brown reacted to the departure of his teammate, Kalif Raymond, who left Detroit in free agency.

Amon-Ra St. Brown shares his thoughts on losing a fellow wideout

After the news of Kalif Raymond joining the Chicago Bears through a one-year deal came to light, Amon couldn’t hold back. In his appreciation message, he described Raymond as the “greatest teammate” he has ever had. The two have been playing together since 2021, when Raymond joined Detroit as a free agent.

In the same year, the franchise picked St. Brown in the fourth round from the University of Southern California. Since entering the league, Amon-Ra St. Brown has turned out to be one of the team’s most successful draft decisions. Over his first five seasons, he has averaged around 109 catches, 1,250 receiving yards, and nearly nine touchdowns per season.

From 2023 onwards, his production has gone up, with a new average of 116 receptions, 1,332 receiving yards, and eleven touchdowns per year. Playing in the same unit as St. Brown, Raymond filled an important supporting role in the offense behind him. During his time with the Lions, he recorded 190 receptions for 2,554 yards and nine touchdowns.

However, his biggest value came on special teams. He excelled as a punt returner and earned Second-Team All-Pro honors in both 2022 and 2024. He was the team’s main WR3 and the primary punt returner. Second-year receiver Isaac TeSlaa might take on a bigger role after showing promise this past season.

He racked up sixteen catches, 239 yards, and six touchdowns in limited play. Additionally, Tom Kennedy played as a receiver and a returner, but he is currently a restricted free agent. The Lions could also seek more support through free agency or the upcoming NFL Draft, which starts on April 23 in Pittsburgh.