Ifeadi Odenigbo said George Floyd’s death really hit home for him.
The Minnesota Vikings defensive end marched with Chicago protestors on Sunday, and recently talked with NBC Sports Chicago about why he did so.
He was asked about the decision to go out and find a protest by himself. Here’s what he said:
“I’m watching the news, I’m doing all this stuff, I’m posting and I’m thinking to myself, I’m going to have kids someday. I’m going to be a grandpa someday. And right now, this is a historic time. This is a weird time in our lives with COVID-19, with the whole recession, with people getting laid off and now just with this George Floyd case — and I want to be able to look my kid in his eyes and say, ‘Hey son, or daughter, your pops did something.’ I didn’t go on social media, I wanted to go and march with these people because actions speak louder than words.”
Odenigbo also said Floyd’s death impacted him because “I play for the Minnesota Vikings and I’ve probably driven on that street where he died — where he was tortured to death.”