NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell detailed his decision to make the video acknowledging the league was wrong in its initial handling of player protests, saying the league spent the first days of the nationwide reaction to George Floyd’s death “listening, learning, trying to understand all the frustration and fear and sadness that all of us were going through, particularly those in the black community.” Goodell on ESPN's "The Return of Sports" special said the Black Lives Matter video featuring many prominent black NFL players “was very powerful.” He said, “I thought it was very clear and I thought it was appropriate for me to respond directly to that and make it clear how we feel about the oppression of black people and condemning racism, the fact that we should have listened to our players earlier.” Goodell added, “Our players have been at the forefront in bringing attention to these issues and really working to try to make a difference in the communities. We have been doing that over the last couple of years and I'm proud of the work we're doing, but we all have more work to do.” He said the NFL is committed to the cause not just through words and actions, but also “for a longer period of time, because we think these issues are systemic and they are things that are going to be needed to deal with over the long-term.” Goodell also noted team owners “have been incredibly supportive, supportive of their players, their communities -- which are critically important here -- and trying to make a difference” (“The Return of Sports,” ESPN, 6/15).
OWNERS' SILENCE STILL DEAFENING: THE ATHLETIC's Jones & Rodrigue wrote Goodell’s voice is a "powerful one, but not as powerful as the collective voices of the 32 NFL owners." A number of those owners have "remained personally silent on both the broad issues of systemic racism and police brutality, and specifically in response to many of their own players who have boldly spoken out in recent weeks." The "most notable silence" is from Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones, who is "rarely silent about anything." He "certainly didn’t shy away from the topic at hand in 2017 and 2018, when he made it clear that anyone playing for the Cowboys would be expected to stand during the national anthem." Jones & Rodrigue wondered, "Will most team owners continue to view player activism and protests as a business and political issue, as many have for the previous four years? Or has public opinion shifted?" (THEATHLETIC.com, 6/15).
