Nine teams cancel practice to protest police shooting
FLORHAM PARK » Empty practice fields made for loud and powerful statements at nine facilities across the NFL.
The Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans and Washington Football Team all chose to not practice Thursday in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in Wisconsin.
“We’ve been protecting the shield,” Jets running back Le’Veon Bell wrote of the NFL in a Twitter post. “It’s time for the shield to protect us.”
Blake, 29, was shot by police, apparently in the back, on Sunday in Kenosha as he leaned into his SUV, three of his children seated inside. The shooting was captured on cellphone video and ignited new protests in the U.S. three months after the death of George Floyd under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer touched off a nationwide reckoning over racial injustice.
Broncos running back Melvin Gordon grew up in Kenosha, and he and other players, coaches and staff posed for a team photo that was posted along with a statement on Twitter.
“This hits home for all of us,” part of the statement read. “In the strongest terms, we condemn police brutality, excessive force and these senseless acts of violence that have caused so much pain. It is time for accountability and real policy reform.”
The Detroit Lions canceled their practice Tuesday, protesting the incident involving Blake, and racial injustice. They were back on the field Thursday, but the impact of their actions was clear across the rest of the league.
“I think that if there’s any chance that we got everybody to maybe stop and think for a minute, that’s really great,” Lions coach Matt Patricia said Thursday during a video call.
The Titans came up with three concrete things they plan to do after canceling their practice: make sure everyone’s registered to vote; focus on talking points for meeting with elected officials; and hold a Zoom call to connect with thousands of students around Middle Tennessee designed to help teach the same equality and acceptance the players experience at work.
“I take great satisfaction when players tell me that they feel safe here,” coach Mike Vrabel said. “They feel comfortable saying whatever they want, whatever emotion that they have. But they don’t when they’re away from here. And so I want to try to fix that away from here.”
The New Orleans Saints were among the 18 NFL teams that held practice, but the players wore Blake’s name on the front or crown of their helmets where they usually have their own names during camp.
“It’s just something we decided to do last night to honor him,” coach Sean Payton said. “It was something we felt would be appropriate, and I think they (the players) were for it.”
On Wednesday night, the Washington Football Team announced it would not hold its practice at its home stadium on Thursday afternoon. It was supposed to be broadcast live on local radio and televised at night. Washington, which recently dropped its longtime name of Redskins, last week hired Jason Wright as the first Black team president in NFL history.
The Chargers were scheduled to have a scrimmage to break in their new SoFi Stadium, but canceled.
Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Marrone said players and coaches met for over two hours Thursday morning before voting — 37 to 36 in favor — to practice as scheduled. But the team canceled its afternoon meetings and had another group discussion about what they can and will do moving forward to foster change.
Jaguars wide receiver Chris Conley called on the “faces of the league” — the quarterbacks — to take an even greater role in trying to affect change.
“If a statement is going to be made by this league in solidarity and everyone standing up, it’s got to start with them,” he said. “If we’re going to put pressure on the people in the country who make change, for accountability, it’s got to start with them.”
The Falcons, Bills, Ravens, Bengals, Browns, Cowboys, Chiefs, Rams, Vikings, Patriots, Giants, Eagles, Steelers, 49ers and Buccaneers also had practice or walkthrough sessions.
“I think the biggest thing right now is to ... listen to my AfricanAmerican teammates and friends that aren’t even in football,” Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said, “just to get a better understanding to educate myself.”