C.J. Mosley details video call with Jets owner Christopher Johnson, national anthem protest
The message from New York owner Jets Christopher Johnson a few days ago to discuss the death of George Floyd and recent social unrest relating to the issue of policing has received a positive review from linebacker C.J. Mosley.
On a conference call with the media on Thursday, Mosley discussed his rehab and his availability to play come training camp. But a large part of the call was about the league’s response to racial issues brought forth by Floyd, a Minneapolis man who died two weeks ago in police custody. Protests and marches have taken over much of the country in light of Floyd’s death.
Mosley was pleased with the tenor struck by Johnson when he had a video conference call with the beat reporters recently.
“He came on the video call, talked to the whole team. Players, coaching staff – he voiced his concerns. He pretty much let us know anything we needed, he was there to help,” Mosley told the media on the call.
“He gave out his personal info and he said ‘Any guy want to call, any guy want to get together and work something out’ [that] he was there to help. It definitely meant a lot to me and I’m pretty sure everybody else.”
The NFL recently released a statement saying that they were wrong to criticize Colin Kaepernick several years ago for the then San Francisco 49ers quarterback for taking a knee during the national anthem. Policing was a major reason why Kaepernick used the anthem as a means to protest and draw attention to the issue. Broader social and racial issues were a part of Kaepernick’s platform as well.
The league was criticized for its backpedaling on the issue after doubling down repeatedly over the years on anthem protests. Mosley wants to see the league and individual teams move things forward as it comes to impacting the community.
“For the most part, I believe that they’ve handled it well. At the end of the day, it’s about the end goal. Where can we go from here?” Mosley said. “We’ve been through this situation already and the things that have happened have happened. So I hope this year or moving forward, we can make ourselves better, we can better ourselves as players…”
He was then asked what the “end goal” was from his perspective.
“Equality for all, bettering the system as far as the police, anywhere where there is poverty – players and teams and owners that they are there to help. We always talk about wanting to help the community, help out the places in need,” Mosley said.
“I think starting there is the main goal. I think with the protests and everything…or like when Mr. Johnson gave out his number, us players reaching out and hopefully all owners doing the same thing, reaching out to players to try and figure out a way how as a team we can come together and show the world that – and not just the NFL but individual team can do something about the community that they are in.”
Mosley said “I’m not sure” when asked if he will take a knee during the anthem this year.
“I need to talk to my teammates first, I need to talk coach Gase, I need to talk to the owner first,” Mosley said.
