Bengals partner with players, hope to work together 'as one connected team' to better society

Cincinnati Bengals players and coaches held multiple team meetings earlier this week about social injustice and racism in America.

Those meetings occurred just days after the organization pledged $250,000 to the community.

Players, coaches and other members of the Bengals will decide where that money goes, which is one of the many topics that the organization addressed this week.

"The Bengals recognize the importance of raising awareness of inequality and supporting change by partnering with our players in a productive and positive manner these issues," The organization said in a statement. "Building on conversations from team meetings earlier this week, Executive Vice President Katie Blackburn released the below statement:

“We appreciate our players’ honestly and strength, being vulnerable and sharing their experiences with each other and our coaches. We look forward to continuing to listen and to working together as one connected team to better our society.”

Statement from EVP Katie Blackburn: pic.twitter.com/TVNg3iGfzI
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) June 10, 2020

Bengals players have voiced their opinions about racism over the past few weeks.

It started with No. 1 pick Joe Burrow, who spoke out on Twitter.

"The black community needs our help," Burrow wrote. "They have been unheard for far too long. Open your ears, listen, and speak. This isn’t politics. This is human rights."

Khalid Kareem, Logan Wilson, Tee Higgins and Auden Tate also made public comments about social injustice in America.

The Bengals' meeting was beneficial to everyone involved according to veteran safety Shawn Williams.

"As black men we're not used to expressing ourselves or telling someone that's not the same race as you how you feel," Williams told Bengals.com. "Getting it off our chest but doing it the right way so they kind of feel your pain. Why you make the decisions you make or look the way you look because where you come from. It sheds light on what it means to a be a black man in America. Now they can't relate to it, but they can say, 'I can be your brother. I respect it,' and they're with you."