Given the current state of America, Rams coach Sean McVay put football on the back burner and brought the tragic death of George Floyd to the forefront during Monday’s team meeting. Rather than continuing to work through the virtual offseason and game-planning for the 2020 season, McVay opened the floor to his players.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, McVay said it was a “really powerful” team meeting where players shared their experiences and their thoughts on the social injustice that has taken place in the United States.
He took the opportunity to educate himself on experiences players have had throughout their lives.
The Rams had a team meeting yesterday to talk about George Floyd and the situation in the nation, Sean McVay says: "It was really powerful, the amount of guys that had the strength to stand up to share their experiences. You talk about an amazing learning experience for me."
— Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) June 2, 2020
Both McVay and Rams PR head Artis Twyman says the fact that players were in a virtual setting may have helped the conversation. https://t.co/yf8X5YoTKf
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) June 2, 2020
Defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day appreciated McVay’s approach to the team meeting on Monday, sharing this on Twitter to show his gratitude. He also
Was very powerful… Blessed to be part of an organization that is filled with outstanding PEOPLE not just players & coaches! Huge S/O to Coach McVay and the Les! https://t.co/yqgHHooMGw
— Sebastian Joseph-Day (@SJD_51) June 2, 2020
While it’s currently unclear if any Rams players participated in any of the protests that have taken place in recent days, McVay said he would support any kind of demonstration by a player in response to the recent events.
Rams HC Sean McVay says he supports his players in any kind of protest or demonstration they may feel compelled to make.
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) June 2, 2020
On Tuesday, Rams players took part in a movement that was declared “#BlackoutTuesday.”
Several players showed their support for the movement, including Jalen Ramsey, Nsimba Webster, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and Terrell Burgess. Andrew Whitworth also shared a post of his own on Instagram.
Change 🖤 #blackouttuesday https://t.co/AipCNJCSc8
— Terrell Burgess (@TiTaniumT98) June 2, 2020
— Jalen Ramsey (@jalenramsey) June 2, 2020
— Ogbo Okoronkwo (@OgboOkoronkwo) June 2, 2020
— NSimba Webster (@NsimbaWebster) June 2, 2020
McVay has repeatedly been praised by players for his ability to relate to them, as well as the support he shows on a regular basis. This latest decision to turn a football meeting into one where players could voice their opinions and share their experiences with each other is another example of why McVay is a coach that guys love playing for.
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