After months of wondering if there would even be a 2020 NFL season, the Baltimore Ravens will take to M&T Bank Stadium to battle against the Cleveland Browns for Week 1. But the excitement about the return of football could once again be overshadowed by player protests.
There has been a clear breaking point for many in the United States over social justice. For athletes around a few different sports leagues, they’ve used their public standing to bring the discussion to the forefront. With the NFL season starting back up, it brings another opportunity for players to make their stances and voices be heard.
While there’s no standard protest happening league-wide, the Ravens are allowing the players and personnel to protest how they want, according to safety Chuck Clark.
“Here with our organization, we’ve had the talks with upstairs and down — as players in the locker room as well,” Clark said Friday. “Personally, and as a team, we’re choosing to let everyone do what they choose to do.”
That means we could see quite a few variations on the sideline come Sunday. Whether it be doing nothing at all, standing, kneeling, linking arms, or even staying inside the locker room during the national anthem, everything seems to be on the table for Baltimore this week.
According to Clark, the team didn’t want to dictate a unified message given the various backgrounds and experiences the players have had growing up.
“We all come from different backgrounds and a lot of us have different experiences,” Clark continued. “Some of us, we can’t relate to what others have been through, so we’re letting every guy do what they choose to do on their own, and we all respect that and understand that.”
Some might choose to bash Baltimore for allowing any of the players to protest, while others could be upset about there not being a unified front. But allowing everyone to do what feels right to them is a powerful message in its own right. It acknowledges the differing beliefs and doesn’t force players to either protest when they don’t believe in it or force players to stay silent.
It’s fitting for the Ravens given owner Steve Bisciotti has taken a public stance as the face of the organization throughout these trying times. Earlier in the offseason, Bisciotti joined several players and coaches in a video calling for social justice reform. Bisciotti has also donated $1 million for local social justice reform, allowing the players to choose where the money goes.
It’s unclear if the team is open to allowing protests throughout the entire season, but for at least Week 1, expect the Ravens to show how they feel.
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