Goodell Says NFL Made A Mistake Not Listening To Players

NEW YORK (AP) – NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said his league made a mistake. Goodell said the league was wrong for not listening to players fighting for racial equality and encouraged them to peacefully protest. He made his strongest statement on the issues many players passionately support, one day after 2018 NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes and several of his peers released a video demanding the league condemn racism. When Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem to take a stand against police brutality and racial injustice in 2016, he was mostly alone. Politicians, owners and fellow players criticized him, fans burned his jersey and he was booed even at home. Four years later, his protest is widely viewed as prescient. Global opinion has shifted so much that more people are vilifying those who attack Kaepernick or misrepresent his stance. George Floyd’s death, which ignited nationwide protests over racial injustice and police brutality, awakened many people to the root of the issues that led to Kaepernick’s demonstration. Now, Goodell said, “I personally protest with you and want to be part of the much-needed change in this country.”