Thursday, Fox Sports 1’s Jason Whitlock went on Fox Sports Radio’s “Outkick the Coverage” with Clay Travis and discussed Papa John’s founder John Schnatter’s resignation following the use of a racial slur in a conference call.

The pizza chain pulled Schnatter’s image from logos and advertising, while the University of Louisville removed “Papa John’s” from its football stadium’s name.

According to Whitlock, the controversy was a smear campaign because of Schnatter’s conservative politics

“[T]his was an intentional stirred up, ginned up controversy to damage Papa John,” Whitlock told Travis. “He had irritated people well beyond his comments about the NFL. Papa Johns has supported Trump, he’s a hardcore conservative — people don’t like him. So, I think they have unfairly attacked him and damaged his name, and smeared him with the charge of racism. It’s a tactic that’s very popular right now in America, but it’s not productive and/or healthy.”

Follow Trent Baker on Twitter @MagnifiTrent