Should Steelers HC Mike Tomlin release a statement about NFL protests?

Mike Tomlin has been silent about the protests but should that change?

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The NFL appears to be moving forward with allowing players to protest during the national anthem this season. This has created a pretty clear divide among NFL fanbases and is going to make for a very interesting season in the NFL.

If teams want to minimize civility, keeping a line of communication open between the team and its fans is key. The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of only three Black head coaches in Mike Tomlin. However, Tomlin has been noticeably silent during all of this.

Should Tomlin release a statement about recent events including the upcoming protests?

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Tomlin is typically an all-business kind of guy but given the current environment in the NFL, it really feels like Tomlin needs to make a public statement of solidarity with the NFL to keep the fans on track. We ran a poll recently and 61 percent of fans said they would stop watching if players took a knee during the anthem. Many of these fans are Tomlin supporters and would benefit from hearing from him on the matter.

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