![]() ![]() The plummeting numbers of high school football players in the U.S. Given the concerns that our young people are becoming less interested in politics, the NFL should harness this moment to call attention to race, policing and patriotism. Patriotism isn’t one size fits all, and conformity has never served America well. The NFL should encourage, not silence, its players. The football team and other athletes on campus leveraged their platform to usher in new and more effective policies to address the racial climate at the university. It took less than 48 hours for Wolfe to step down. In 2015, football players at the University of Missouri refused to play until the school’s president, Tim Wolfe, resigned. Perhaps Goodell has forgotten the power that young sports figures can wield when there is racial and political turmoil. That is not the message the NFL should be sending to the youth who will comprise the league’s future. Their comments say to black kids that the NFL just wants players of colour to shut up and play, and that their opinions aren’t welcome. ![]() But Goodell’s statement, as well as Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ recent comments requiring his players to stand for the national anthem, may have just poured more fuel on the fire. Race has always been the NFL’s third rail - the large majority of the league’s players are black while a significant number of viewers are white. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Manage Print Subscription / Tax Receipt.
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