NFL commissioner Roger Goodell issued a statement Saturday that addressed “the tragic events across our country,” and offered the league’s deepest condolences to the family of George Floyd. Here’s the complete statement.
— NFL (@NFL) May 30, 2020
Vikings linebackers Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr took to social media on Tuesday to express just how empty they felt the league’s statement had been. Here is what Kendricks put on Twitter.
.@NFL what actual steps are you taking to support the fight for justice and system reform?
Your statement said nothing. Your league is built on black athletes. Vague answers do nothing. Let the players know what you’re ACTUALLY doing.
And we know what silence means. pic.twitter.com/EOqzDjW1an
— Eric Kendricks (@EricKendricks54) June 2, 2020
Kendricks didn’t end there. He continued the thread by pointing out the Vikings have opened a dialogue with players, adding “we’re all working towards solutions with the team … if anyone has suggestions for how to support the city, we’d love to hear them.
“Our team doesn’t just want to donate — we want to work with local organizations and get out there to help facilitate change. DM me or comment if you have any suggestions or info.
“But we want answers at the league level. That’s where change can happen, and we’ve seen none. Because right now, it seems like nothing. And nothing is unacceptable.
“You can’t bring in people to teach us how we should interact with police but not work towards changing the behavior of the police themselves. Silence will not make this go away. @NFL #WeWantAnswers #BlackLivesMatter”
Barr’s tweets were identical to Kendricks’. Both of them are on the Vikings’ social justice committee, according to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin.