With the recent murdering of George Floyd shaking the nation, many athletes have stepped up to speak about police brutality in African American and minority communities. A few Jags have spoken on the issue, including linebacker Joe Schobert, safety Ronnie Harrison, running back Leonard Fournette, and Jags front office member Tony Khan.
As commissioner of the biggest sports corporation in the world, Roger Goodell also released a statement on the death of Floyd and the country’s issues with racism.
“The NFL family is greatly saddened by the tragic events across our country,” said Goodell. “The protesters’ reactions to these incidents reflect the pain, anger and frustration that so many of us feel. Our deepest condolences go out to the family of Mr. George Floyd and to those who have lost loved ones, including the families of Ms. Breonna Taylor in Louisville, and Mr. Ahmaud Arbery, the cousin of Tracy Walker of the Detroit Lions.
“As current events dramatically underscore, there remains much more to do as a country and as a league,” Goodell continued. “These tragedies inform the NFL’s commitment and our ongoing efforts. There remains an urgent need for action. We recognize the power of our platform in communities and as part of the fabric of American society. We embrace that responsibility and are committed to continuing the important work to address these systemic issues together with our players, clubs, and partners.”
As expected, the NFL’s message wasn’t well received by many who recall their history with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who started a peaceful movement by kneeling during the national anthem in 2016. The message also didn’t do much for former Jags defensive back Peyton Thompson, who says he recalls former Jags front office executive Tom Coughlin and coach Doug Marrone telling players they couldn’t kneel during their 2017 international game.
The statement issued by the @nfl is complete trash. I specifically remember Tom Coughlin and Doug Marone telling us we couldn't kneel. Thank God we had an owner of minority who weighed in and got us to kneel together! My job security was on the line if I supported my people.
— Peyton Thompson (@tattedNspatted) June 1, 2020
Khan spoke on his players expressing themselves by kneeling via Sports Illustrated and said that while he personally wouldn’t do it, he felt that America was all about people being able to express themselves.
“The essence of America is freedom to express yourself,” said Khan. “If somebody does that by kneeling, God bless them. I mean, it’s not something I would do but that would be a personal choice. There shouldn’t be any way to punish, ostracize, or in any way make them feel bad.”
As Thompson pointed out, there were players on the Jags side who knelt, but all locked arms alongside owner Shad Khan to show solidarity.
It’s been a week since Floyd’s death, and the former Minneapolis officer charged in Floyd’s death, Derek Chauvin, was just arrested Friday. Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. However, Thomas Lane, J.A. Kueng and Tou Thoa, three officers who were also a part of Floyd’s detainment, have yet to be arrested. As a result, protests have taken place for several nights all over the nation, including in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Washington D.C.