Players within the National Football League will reportedly have the option of wearing decals on their helmets to honor victims of police brutality.
Players and their unions have been speaking with the NFL since June on how to honor people, such as George Floyd or Breonna Taylor, who died during interactions with police. The Associated Press reported Tuesday that the NFL plans to allow players to honor such victims on their helmets.
“They’re still in discussions. But this sounds like it’s going to happen,” NFL Network’s Steve Wyche told Front Office Sports. “You might have one team with 15 different decals.”
Sources told Front Office Sports that the league is currently working on a list of names that would appear on the decals as initials.
The plans come amid a nationwide discussion on race and police brutality in the wake of Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody. In June, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell apologized for opposing players who knelt during the national anthem to protest racism.
“We, the National Football League, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of Black People. We, the National Football League, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the National Football League, believe Black Lives Matter,” Goodell said in a video statement. “I personally protest with you and want to be part of the much-needed change in this country.”
Former San Francisco 49ers player Colin Kaepernick was the first NFL player to kneel during the national anthem in 2016 to protest police brutality and racism. He subsequently became a free agent in 2017 and recently settled with the league over claims that the NFL colluded against him.
This year, Kaepernick’s former team raised a Black Lives Matter flag alongside the American flag and California state flag at Levi’s Stadium.
“First and foremost, you’re saddened and outraged when you see events take place, especially when they’re specifically violent events that are targeted at African Americans,” 49ers CEO Jed York said of the flag. “We’re focused on taking actions.”
