Schnatter deflects blame and points at CEO for poor performance

Most critics blame John Schnatter, the ousted founder of Papa John's, for the chain's recent troubles — specifically the loss of the NFL sponsorship that came after Mr. Schnatter badmouthed the league over the anthem/kneeling controversy. In a letter to franchisees, however, Mr. Schnatter says top management should take responsibility. “Bad financial decisions, insufficient management skills to correct them, a toxic senior management culture, and serious misconduct at the top levels of our leadership team have prompted some in the company to use me as an excuse to distract from those cold realities,” he wrote.