It seems that "even empty words are a bridge too far" for a number of NFL clubs, as only half of the league's teams as of yesterday afternoon had "posted at minimum a statement, either under the franchise logo or with the owner's name attached, to their social media channels" condemning the killing of George Floyd, according to Shalise Manza Young of YAHOO NEWS. The fact that only half of the league's teams have "felt moved enough by the deep pain and clear desperation shown by so many black Americans in recent days -- in a league where over two-thirds of players are black -- to say anything is telling." The NFL on Saturday released a statement that was "credited to Commissioner Roger Goodell." It was "mostly word salad and certainly eye-rolling for those of us old enough to remember what the league did to Colin Kaepernick." It is "striking to see where statements have and haven't come from." Eagles Owner Jeffrey Lurie, whose team in the past has "been supportive of players' efforts to work for equity in justice, stayed silent for a week before releasing a statement" yesterday afternoon. The NFL is "uniquely positioned to be a force for good right now" (NEWS.YAHOO.com, 6/2).
WORDS RING HOLLOW? ESPN's Bomani Jones said of the NFL's statement on Floyd's death, "It's hard to hear the NFL talk about discrimination against black people when you're the league that has this huge hiring problem." He added, "I would not say stand in solidarity with the protesters right now, but I would say show some awareness that their cause has merit when you're the league that doesn't have Colin Kaepernick within it." Jones: "Their lack of credibility has shone through in the way people received that statement. The statement reinforced why it is that people believe they don't have credibility" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 6/1). ESPN's Dominique Foxworth said there are "people in the league office specifically that are trying to push for some change and probably feel that the statement they put out was not powerful enough." But he added, "The people with the most power, as the team owners, do not feel that the statement was not powerful enough and their interests and incentives lie with getting back to that order, no matter who is subjugated in the process." Foxworth: "Why would you want to jeopardize this cash cow that you have in the NFL by potentially putting your organization, your team, your league on the side of an issue that might lead sponsors to go away or might lead fans to turn against you?" ("Highly Questionable," ESPN, 6/1).
TOO LATE? USA TODAY's Christine Brennan writes under the header, "NFL Teams Participating In #BlackoutTuesday Is Too Little, Too Late." The Jets, Bears and 49ers were "among the teams tweeting the stark black screen with the symbolic hashtag attached" yesterday. The 49ers "turned their Twitter avatar black" and the Saints "even added the phrase 'Black Lives Matter.'” But the league and its teams made a "monumental error" in recent years by "refusing to bring" Kaepernick back into the league. Kaepernick in his initial protests had a "peaceful message." Brennan: "If only the NFL had Kaepernick now" (USA TODAY, 6/3).
