Titans GM Says Forget the Anthem, Focus on Pledge
NASHVILLE – To those who ponder exactly how they might feel about if NFL players conduct silent protests during the national anthem again this fall, Tennessee Titans general manager Jon Robinson says consider the Pledge of Allegiance.
“A pledge is a solemn oath,” Robinson said Thursday. “It says, ‘One nation.’ Not a black nation or a white nation, it says, ‘one nation.’ It says, ‘indivisible,’ which means united, not able to be pulled apart, ‘with liberty,’ which means a state of being free from oppressive restrictions, and ‘justice,’ which is defined by equality of being fair and reasonable, ‘for all,’ which is for everyone, regardless of the color of your skin.
“So, I just think this pledge, this oath that we’ve all recited, if we can truly put that into action, we can work to change. We can work to change the hearts and minds of those that need to be changed. That liberty, that justice, that feeling of one nation, a nation of human beings, a nation of God’s children – I think that’s our charge.”
Robinson met with media who cover the Titans on Thursday in a video conference that followed the conclusion of the franchise’s virtual offseason program.
Before he took questions, he issued a statement related to current affairs, particularly the nationwide protests to raise awareness and accountability about racial equality in the United States. Now in his fifth year on the job and with nearly two decades of experience as an NFL staffer or executive, he classified this offseason has been as educational as any for him. He also provided assurances that franchise officials would support players who chose to protest, including during the season.
“I’ve been on web conference calls with others around the league,” Robinson said. “I’ve had several personal discussions with our players, with members of our staff, all of which have been extremely educational for me. Those conversations have been real. They have been empowering.
“Our players, especially, have been outstanding. They were open and they wanted assurance from the organization that when they do use their platforms, their voices, to speak for those whose voice may not be as loud or who don’t have a voice, when they use their voices to speak out against these injustices, that they have our support. And they do.”
Consider it his pledge.
“There shouldn’t be a standard for how to live as a black person in our country,” Robinson said. “… It’s been an extremely moving couple of weeks, and I want to be a part.”
