Former Jaguars Defensive Back Peyton Thompson Slams NFL's Statement on George Floyd's Death
In the wake of the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis last week, protests have flared throughout the United States and a number of athletes, teams, and sports leagues have commented on the state of the nation and racial injustice.
The NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell were one of those to put out a statement to mourn the death of Floyd and other African Americans who have recently suffered at the hands of racism, though this comes just years after the NFL put out a full-court press to halt the peaceful protests of kneeling during the national anthems at NFL games when Colin Kaepernick began the movement to kneel to protest police brutality several years ago.
“The NFL family is greatly saddened by the tragic events across our country,” Goodell said. “The protesters' reactions to these incidents reflect the pain, anger and frustration that so many of us feel. Our deepest condolences go out to the family of Mr. George Floyd and to those who have lost loved ones, including the families of Ms. Breonna Taylor in Louisville, and Mr. Ahmaud Arbery, the cousin of Tracy Walker of the Detroit Lions.
“As current events dramatically underscore, there remains much more to do as a country and as a league,” Goodell added “These tragedies inform the NFL's commitment and our ongoing efforts. There remains an urgent need for action. We recognize the power of our platform in communities and as part of the fabric of American society. We embrace that responsibility and are committed to continuing the important work to address these systemic issues together with our players, clubs, and partners.”
The NFL's statement has since been battered by the public arena due to the apparent double standards and hypocrisy, and one player who has taken a specific issue with the league's stance is former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive back Peyton Thompson.
Thompson, who played for the Jaguars from 2014-2017, was a member of the 2017 Jaguars team that protested during their regular season game against the Baltimore Ravens in London. Players locked arms on the sideline with head coach Doug Marrone, owner Shad Khan, and each other, while a number of other players also kneeled, showing solidarity with Kaepernick, Eric Reid, and other protestors.
According to Thompson, however, the NFL's public stance this week is far different from the league and team's stance in 2017.
"The statement issued by the @nfl is complete trash," Thompson wrote. "I specifically remember Tom Coughlin and Doug Marone telling us we couldn't kneel. Thank God we had an owner of minority who weighed in and got us to kneel together! My job security was on the line if I supported my people."
Floyd died last Monday in the custody of Minneapolis law enforcement officers after police officer Derek Chauvin pinned him down with his knee on the back of his neck. The incident was captured on a video that went viral, showing Floyd repeating stating that he couldn't breathe.
Chauvin, who was one of four police officers detaining Floyd at the time, was arrested Friday and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Since Floyd's death, there have been protests throughout the United States to push back against police brutality and racial inequality.
