The Dallas Cowboys have yet to make an official or symbolic statement, like so many other American institutions and sports franchises have, about the murder of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department. His death has sparked a series of protests around the country as people from all racial and economic backgrounds have taken to the streets to demonstrate in various ways that there has been far too much systemic snuffing out of Black lives.
Floyd is just the most recent in a series of inexcusable deaths which have been caught on camera and video and the country has erupted, decrying abuse of the power afforded officers of the law. After several days, the officer directly responsible for Floyd’s death has been arrested, but the other officers present who did nothing to intervene remain only fired, still not charged. The ire of the people is focused not just on the handful of bad actors, but also those who work arm in arm with them, pacifically condoning the behavior through their silence. Those ills have spawned many companies and sports franchises to speak out in support of change, but to this point Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones and the Dallas Cowboys have remained out of the fray. Their franchise quarterback Dak Prescott, has found his voice on the matter however, pledging $1 million in support of police training, education and advocacy – mentioned in that order.
Prescott – who has not signed his franchise tag tender and is technically out of work currently – took to his Instagram account to post a series of carefully crafted messages, detailing his perspectives on the current climate, the need to protest, the destruction and looting which have accompanied a minority of the demonstrations, the Black Lives Matter movement and more.
Speaking directly to police officers, Prescott says the following.
“I have the utmost respect for those of you with a passion for protecting and serving your communities. When you chose to wear the badge of a police officer, you pledged to PROTCT life and property through the enforcement of our laws and regulations. How can you calim to uphold the law when those within your own ranks don’t abide by it? You need to hold your own accountable! Each of you are as guilt as the men who stood beside Derek Chauvin if you do not stand up against the systemic racism plaguing our police forces nationwide. TAKE ACTION!”
The NFL provided a statement a few days into the protest, though their words of “we recognize the power of our platform in communities and as part of the fabric of American society. We embrace that opportunity,” ring hollow to many who watched them systematically and continuously ban former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick after he peacefully protested police brutality by taking a knee of respect during the playing of the national anthem during the 2016 season. Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since, but the deaths have continued.
Several members of the Cowboys social and multimedia staff have made statements through their personal accounts, but as of the time this article is published the team has not made any statement or gesture.
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