A ton of NFL players are speaking out against police brutality and racial inequality in the United States following the murder of George Floyd back on May 25. It has brought back memories of the original Colin Kaepernick-led protests that started back in 2016.
NFL’s response to George Floyd murder
We have seen a lot of big-name players speak up since the tragic events in Minneapolis just over two weeks ago. The Drew Brees controversy aside, it seems like the players have taken a united front. This includes Caucasian quarterbacks in that of Joe Burrow, Matt Ryan and Carson Wentz speaking up.
Tennessee Titans quarterback and reigning NFL Comeback Player of the Year Ryan Tannehill is the latest example. During a conference call with the media on Wednesday, the former Miami Dolphins first-round pick expressed remorse that he wasn’t more vocal in support of the Kaepernick-led protests starting back in 2016.
A native of Texas, Tannehill also made sure to note that he stands behind Black Lives Matter protesters and those looking to enact change on the streets of the United States.
This is pretty much what the minority population has been asking. Listen to their words. The experiences they have shared on a personal level. Even after his struggles understanding the protests from four years ago, Tannehill now seems to get it.
Colin Kaepernick protests
Following Brees’ tone-deaf comments last week indicating that kneeling in protest during the national anthem was a sign of disrespect, multiple NFL players have called him out. President Donald Trump supported Brees’ original stance, only to see Brees apologize and push back against POTUS.
The backdrop here is Kaepernick’s status as a free agent years removed from last playing in the league. It’s led to renewed debate about the protests he initiated and his future in the NFL. Most recently, indications are that the former Super Bowl quarterback wants to return to the league.