Roger Goodell has a different perspective these days, eh?
In a major reversal, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell admitted on Friday that the organization was wrong for not allowing NFL players to peacefully protest police brutality against Black people during the national anthem.
“We, the NFL, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of Black people,” Goodell said in a filmed statement posted to Twitter.
“We, the NFL, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest,” he added. “We, the NFL, believe Black lives matter.”
Goodell’s statement comes after a week of protests swept the country in response to the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, a Black man who was handcuffed and pleading for air as a white officer knelt on his neck.
Goodell made no mention of Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who started the movement to peacefully protest police brutality against Black people by taking a knee during the national anthem before NFL games.
Prior to the announcement, NFL star players from several teams came together and urged the football league to take a serious stance against racism and systematic injustice in the wake of Floyd’s death….
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Kaepernick became a free agent in 2017 but has not been signed onto a new team, despite continuing his training. In 2019, the NFL and Kaepernick settled a legal dispute in which the athlete accused the league of colluding to keep him from joining any teams.
Even after recruiters from seven teams came to watch Kaepernick practice last year, he reportedly still has not received any offers.