- The
NFL on Friday said it that supported players' rights to protest during the national anthem, saying "Black lives matter ." Patrick Mahomes was involved in a video made by NFL players encouraging the league to reconsider its stance on protests and to recognize the Black Lives matter movement.- According to Jason Reid of The Undefeated, Mahomes, as the face of the NFL, may have played a huge part in the league's new stance.
Patrick Mahomes may have played a big role in the NFL reversing course and changing its stance on protests during the national anthem.
NFL Commissioner
"We, the National Football League, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier, and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest," Goodell said in a video. "We, the National Football League, believe black lives matter."
The statement came amid nationwide Black Lives Matter protests, and echoed a video from NFL players asking the league to change its stance on the protests and to say, "Black Lives Matter."According to Jason Reid of The Undefeated, Mahomes' participation in that video was significant.
An NFL team official told Reid: "Getting Mahomes to participate [in the video] was so big."
The video featured several star players, including Deshaun Watson, Odell Beckham Jr., DeAndre Hopkins, and Saquon Barkley, saying that any of them could have been George Floyd. The players then named other victims of police brutality.
—Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 5, 2020
However, Mahomes, the youngest player to ever win MVP, Super Bowl MVP, and a Super Bowl, carried more weight. He is arguably the face of the NFL.
Doug Williams, the first black quarterback to start in the Super Bowl and win Super Bowl MVP, told Reid that Mahomes' participation was "powerful."
"We're not talking about a 15-year veteran," Williams said. "We're talking about a young man who's not even 25. He has been the MVP of this league. He has won a Super Bowl. Just right there, he's already made an incredible impact in this league.
"Then he goes and does this [participates in the video] at this time. With all these young people out here marching in the streets and demanding change, it's a different time right now. You see that there are so many young people leading. It says a lot that he wanted to be involved in pushing for that change. It was very powerful."
Last week, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees came under fire for saying he felt kneeling during the national anthem was "disrespecting" the flag. Brees later apologized, but many players criticized him for misconstruing the meaning of the protests.
Former NFL wide receiver Anquan Boldin told Reid that getting quarterbacks, the most recognizable players in the NFL, to get on-board with the messages makes a huge difference.
"My point, from the beginning, is that if we could have those guys begin to speak out, what a difference it could make because of the kind of pull quarterbacks have in this league. A quarterback's voice carries."
- Read more:
- Michael Jordan and Nike's Jordan Brand are donating $100 million over 10 years to 'drive real impact for the Black Community'
- Drew Brees fact checks Trump over NFL player protests: 'This is not an issue about the American flag'
- The UFC president Dana White appeared confused and lost for words when asked to comment on the Black Lives Matter movement
- The world's top CrossFit athletes are boycotting the sport following the CEO's insensitive comments on George Floyd