John Mara Supports Players' Right to Peaceful Protests
Nee York Giants team COO John Mara made it clear that he would prefer his players and coaches to stand for the National Anthem this season.
However, he also made it clear that he is a firm believer in the First Amendment that grants people the right to free speech and said that he supports peaceful protests.
“I've never expressed any reservations about my feelings about (supporting players right to protest),” Mara said during a nearly half-hour video conference with reporters. “My position back in 2017 is the same as just as it is now. I'll support any players’ right to engage in a silent protest.
“What makes it easy for me to do that's when I see how much work they're doing in the community and how important it is right now is to each of them and how they back it up with actions, not just words. So my position now will be the same as it was back then.”
The Giants players, who before last week’s Blue-White scrimmage stood at midfield with the coaches before the start of the practice with their arms locked in unison, are not yet believed to have decided whether they are planning any other forms of peaceful protests this season. Head coach Joe Judge mentioned several months ago that whatever they decided, they would do so as a team.
The league has already seen teams around the league cancel practices to allow for the players, coaches, and administration to devise how they wish to express themselves.
“I don't want to get into hypotheticals,” Mara said when asked if he would accept the Giants deciding to skip a practice or a game. “” I think the important thing for us--and Joe is, has been great at this--is that we continue to communicate with the players, we continue to listen to them, and we try to get on the same page in terms of what message we want to send to our fans and the community at large.
“So I think that's what we're going to continue to do and continue to focus on and not worrying about what might occur in the future.”
This isn’t the first time Mara has pledged support for players who have chosen to protest during the National Anthem before games peacefully.
In 2018, defensive end Olivier Vernon decided to take a knee all season long in protest of police brutality. Vernon was initially joined at first by safety Landon Collins and defensive tackle Damon Harrison, both of whom ceased kneeling after one week.
Mara met with the players that year and said that while he preferred that they stand for the anthem, he would support their choice to express themselves peacefully.
