Dalton Risner Shares Powerful Message of Support to Teammates Amid Civil Unrest
With civil unrest continuing to swell across the United States in response to the horrific killing of George Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis, the country feels close to rending itself apart both in grief and outrage over what happened. In years past, we've always had sports to help unite us as Americans and take our minds off of the care and injustice in the world.
We're now in the third month without sports in American, though, and boy, would they come in handy right about now. The Denver Broncos, like all Americans, have watched as the country collectively suffers in the wake of Mr. Floyd's tragic death in the hands of Minneapolis police.
On Tuesday, we got a chance to hear from Head Coach Vic Fangio and safety Kareem Jackson via virtual press conference, both of whom addressed the situation as it continues to unfold both locally and nationally.
“Sports bring people together," Coach Fangio said. "And I look forward to the Broncos and the NFL leading that charge.”
Fangio and Jackson's Zoom pressers weren't the only notable Broncos appearances or activities on Tuesday. Team President and CEO Joe Ellis addressed the entire team privately via virtual means and by all accounts, he did a good job of listening to the African American players who voiced their opinions and emotions on what's happening nationally.
In an illuminating write-up that gave fans a window into Tuesday's events at Dove Valley (figuratively speaking), KUSA's Mike Klis quoted Broncos' linebacker Alexander Johnson as saying Ellis' remarks and the way he handled himself during the team meeting was "genuine" and "true from the heart."
Broncos' offensive guard Dalton Risner shared with Klis his powerful message of empathy and support for his teammates. It's one that I think we all can echo.
“I just wanted to let all the players know that we’re a team,’’ Risner told Klis. “We’re brothers. That’s what the Denver Broncos are about. There is no separation. There is a problem in the world and I let them know that there needs to be change.
“I wanted to let each and everyone of them know that I love them. I’m talking about my white teammates, I’m talking about my black teammates, I’m talking about my purple teammates. No matter what the color is, I wanted to let them know that I love them. We’re a team, we stick together."
It's a worthy and poignant message. Risner didn't stop there but continued by acknowledging that he, as a white man, can't know what it's like to walk in the shoes of his black teammates or know what it's like to experience America through their eyes. Risner, like all Americans of compassion, can only try to understand what folks in the black community have gone through.
“I wanted to let them know I wanted to understand as much as I can," Risner said via Klis. "I told them I come from a town (Wiggins) of 800 people. I know what white privilege is like. I wanted them to know I do not understand what they go through. I can never act like I understand. I want to try to understand what they’re going through, but we’re never going to.
“I just wanted to let them know that I love them, and if they wanted to march down the street and they called me, then I’m their brother. I’m right next to him. I just wanted to spread the message that I have your back, man. This is more than teammates on an NFL football team. This is brothers. I think the more we bond together during times like this, the better football team we’ll be.
“Just want to know I love them and I’m there for them and I feel for them and I’m sorry. And anything I can do I’ll be with them a hundred, thousand percent.’’
In a separate article, I'll deep-dive on what Coach Fangio and Jackson had to say on Tuesday but I felt it was important for Mile High Huddle readers and members of our community to hear Risner's message.
Empathy. Compassion. Listening with real intent, not to simply reply or rebut. Love. Would that we can all embrace this tumultuous situation with those virtues in mind.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.
