The New York Giants are considering some sort of protest during the national anthem following the fatal police shooting of a 40-year-old black man in Oklahoma last week.
Terence Crutcher, who was unarmed, was killed by police in Tulsa, Okla., on Friday. The Justice Department is investigating his death.
“As of right now we’re not doing anything different, but that could change,” linebacker Keenan Robinson said. “We are guys who have a voice, and we understand our voice is seen and heard across the world.”
“Remove football for a minute, and this is life,” running back Rashad Jennings said, according to Newsday. “These are real issues that people are dealing with on a daily basis that are blinded by a lot of entertainment. And we’re a part of who we are entertaining. We’re football players. It’s Sunday, people think ‘What are they doing? What’s my fantasy points look like?’ In reality, people are dying.”
Jennings said he has been in a text thread with roughly 85 other NFL players discussing the issues that have inspired the protests.
“Privileged people need to defend and actually voice out, not the oppressed. That’s just complaining. The people who are privileged need to voice it themselves and say: ‘This isn’t right.’ That’s what Kaep’s doing, that’s what a lot of people are doing. That’s what my whole conversation with Kaep was about, understanding where he’s coming from. And I support that 100 percent,” Jennings said.
He said he’s also spoken several times with San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who started the national anthem protest by sitting or taking a knee to protest police brutality.
Giants head coach Ben McAdoo said last month that he would be “disappointed” if one of his players did not stand for the anthem. “It’s not mandatory, but we feel it’s [standing] important.”
Around the NFL, players have followed Kaepernick’s lead by taking a knee or raising a fist during the playing of the national anthem. Kaepernick has been widely criticized for not standing for the national anthem, including by Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz.
Kaepernick revealed on Tuesday that he has received death threats for his protests.
