In 2003, Rush Limbaugh worked for ESPN as a commentator on the network’s NFL pregame show,… In 2003, Rush Limbaugh worked for ESPN as a commentator on the network’s NFL pregame show, “Sunday NFL Countdown.” On air in September that year, Limbaugh said that Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was overrated because the media wanted to see a black quarterback succeed.

The comments were widely regarded as offensive and racist. Limbaugh resigned from ESPN three days after making the comments.

Now this man wants to buy an NFL franchise.

Reports fluttered this past Tuesday that Limbaugh, with St. Louis Blues owner Dave Checketts and other unnamed partners, made a bid to buy the St. Louis Rams — a franchise with an estimated worth of $929 million.

In the NFL, 67 percent of the league is black. The head of the NFLPA, DeMaurice Smith, is also black. It is undeniable that numerous other non-black players in the league probably don’t agree with Limbaugh’s extreme conservative politics.

So, if you were in the NFL and Limbaugh wanted to buy your team, would you play for him?

The NFL is a business and football is a player’s occupation. It wouldn’t be the first time in history that an employee philosophically differs from his employer. Realistically, most players do not want to bite the hand that feeds them, the hand that pens their salary checks.

But this is also Rush Limbaugh. The aforementioned McNabb comments are just the tip of the iceberg. This is a guy who called President Barack Obama the “magic n*gro” in an LA Times interview in 2007.

During the 2008 presidential primaries, Limbaugh implored his Republican radio listeners to register as Democrats simply to vote for anyone other than Obama and sabotage his campaign. The scary thing is that an estimated 16,000 people actually did it.

I think it’s safe to assume that the majority of NFL players probably don’t agree with Limbaugh. But, would anyone be willing to mail in their paycheck to take a stand against the right wing pundit? Would you?

In an instance where one’s livelihood would be at risk, the potential well-being and support for one’s family would be in question and one’s very existence jeopardized, could an athlete’s moral compass direct him on the side of ethics and not dollar bills?

Limbaugh is far more vocal and well-known than most current NFL owners. But no African-American has ever held a majority ownership of an NFL team. All owners are multi-millionaires — at least — and all are white. Some might hold similar conservative views as Limbaugh. I’d bet a few of them are even friends with the guy.

Perhaps much of the league already plays for a guy much like Limbaugh. For all we know, players are already making the conscious decision to swallow their ideologies in exchange for a salary.

We’ve seen athletes give up money in favor of political beliefs before. Muhammed Ali missed much of his prime in refusing to fight in the Vietnam War. Pat Tillman gave up a career in the NFL to enlist and fight overseas.

But ultimately, the question is “do the players care?” Is it even relevant what they think? Is there room for ideology — whether it be racial or political — in sports?

Everything is debatable. With Limbaugh, you never know. The man fashions himself as much an entertainer as he does a politico. Maybe his extreme ideas and claims are an exaggeration of what he actually thinks — or maybe he really is just a jack*ss.

I don’t know. But I do know that the man wants to buy an NFL franchise. If confronted with the situation, I would like to believe McNabb wouldn’t play for the guy.

The fact is, I find it hard to believe that anyone would actually protest Limbaugh. Maybe some players don’t even know who he is or know the politics of their current bosses.