(New York) Patrick Mahomes, Saquon Barkley and Michael Thomas are among more than a dozen NFL stars who have united to send a passionate video message to the league about racial inequality.
The 70-second video was released to social media platforms Thursday night, and Odell Beckham Jr., Deshaun Watson, Ezekiel Elliott, Jamal Adams, Stephon Gilmore and DeAndre Hopkins are also taking part.
Thomas, the New Orleans Saints wide receiver who has led the league in passing catches over the past two seasons, opens the video with the statement, “It has been 10 days since George Floyd was brutally murdered. The players then take turns asking the question: “What if I was George Floyd?” ”
The players then name several of the black men and women who were recently killed, including Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and Eric Garner.
“I AM George Floyd,” says Hopkins.
Adams continues with: “I AM Breonna Taylor. ”
The video ends with the players insisting that they “will not be silenced.” They also call on NFL leaders to condemn “systemic racism and oppression of black people.” … We, the National Football League, recognize that we are wrong to prevent our players from protesting peacefully. … We, the National Football League, believe that black lives matter (black life matters). ”
In a statement, the NFL said:
“It’s a time of self-reflection for all – the NFL is no exception. We stand in solidarity with the black community because black lives matter.
“Through ‘Inspire Change’, the NFL, players and our partners have supported programs and initiatives across the country to address systemic racism. We will continue to use our platform to fight the injustice around us.
“To date, we have donated US $ 44 million to support hundreds of organizations. This year, we’re committing an additional $ 20 million to these causes, and we’ll step up efforts to highlight their essential work. We know we can and must do more. ”
