Colin Kaepernick placed his NFL career on the line many years ago when he chose to protest police brutality during the national anthem.
By kneeling during The Star-Spangled Banner, Kaepernick (a former San Francisco 49ers quarterback) sent shockwaves across America, forcing NFL fans to consider the tragedies of racial inequity and police brutality while trying to enjoy a game of football.
Despite his quarterback ability, NFL organizations declined to hire Kaepernick for years due to the controversy surrounding him.
Nevertheless, in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death last year, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell changed his tune and now expresses sorrow for not paying attention to Colin Kaepernick’s demonstrations when they first began all those years ago.
“I wish we had listened sooner, Kaep, to what you were kneeling for and what you were trying to call attention to,” Goodell said to former NFL player Emmanuel Acho during an interview on Acho’s YouTube series “Uncomfortable Discussions with a Black Man” on Sunday.
“What our athletes are doing is being portrayed incorrectly,” Goodell remarked. “What they were attempting to do was exercise their right to draw attention to an issue that needed to be addressed.
That misrepresentation of who they were and what they were doing gnawed at me the most.”
The majority of NFL teams are collaborating with Goodell to make the game more welcoming and supportive of all Americans.
The Dallas Cowboys, on the other hand, are having difficulty dealing with the situation. While the team’s owner, Jerry Jones, has worked hard to find a middle ground on the demonstrations and standing during the national anthem, his son does not want Kaepernick to win.
Stephen Jones, the Dallas Cowboys’ Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, has stated unequivocally that he would not join his father or Goodell in backing Colin Kaepernick.
Stephen Jones stated on Thursday that he did not support Goodell’s change of heart and that he was sticking to his conservative views.
“I’m not going to comment on that right now. Certainly, everyone, I respect what everyone has to say in any of these circumstances.
Everyone has their own method of getting their hands on it. It’s a clear challenge.
As I previously stated, every organization, every office, and every location does things differently, whether you’re the NFL or an individual team. Everyone has an opinion on several issues.
So, absolutely, respect for everyone’s thoughts and points of view, but that’s probably as far as I’d go.”
The Cowboys will face an uphill battle in the next weeks and months.
As the rest of the country embraces the Black Lives Matter movement, Jones and his father will need to adjust to the shifting tide of American football or miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
What are your thoughts on the Dallas Cowboys’ stand on the matter? Do you agree with either Stephen or Jerry Jones? What is your plan for making football more inclusive?
