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Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap has gone public with his desire to see the franchise do better when it comes to racial inequality issues.
Dunlap noted he’d like to meet right with the man at the top about the issue, Mike Brown.
The star defensive end said the following, per Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com:
“I don’t want them to check the box. I want them to do something they are passionate about. That way, they’re physically and emotionally invested in it as we all are. I just wanted to have that conversation with him personally, 1-on-1. And however that conversation goes once we leave the room, I leave that alone from that angle and I’ll go about it the way that I feel like is best to help my community and to do long-term change from there. Personally, I feel compelled with the platform that we have. We have a great opportunity to make the biggest ripple effects.”
The conversation stemmed from a meet with the media in which Dunlap recounted a racial injustice issue while training over the summer at a Fort Lauderdale park.
Dunlap says he and teammates noticed the Bengals’ slow response to these issues earlier this summer at a time the rest of the NFL was issuing statements and taking action. He stressed the organization has to be willing to do more, per The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr.:
“There just needs to be a change. We need the higher-ups to speak on change. A little typed-up press release by (Bengals.com senior writer) Geoff Hobson doesn’t do enough. It’s not going to really create long-term change – if they want to be a part of long-term change – which from first signs doesn’t seem that’s the case.”
Dunlap has also praised director of strategy and engagement Elizabeth Blackburn for leading the charge in actionable plans in the community in these areas.
As of this writing, the Bengals didn’t offer comment on Dunlap’s presser. But as one of the longest-tenured current players (and best, to say the least), it’s clear No. 96 speaks for the locker room and the team will have to address it in some fashion soon.
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