49ers cornerback Richard Sherman was one of many athletes who have commented on the roiling unrest that has gripped the United States since the killing of George Floyid in Minneapolis last week, but he doesn’t feel it’s a requirement that athletes use their platform in that way.
Sherman told Albert Breer of SI.com that “not everyone has something to say and not everyone who’s an athlete should be forced to” share their thoughts on social matters. Sherman added that he’s happy to see how many in the football world have had positive messages to send in recent days.
He made particular note of an increased number of white players using their voices as they might find ears that players like Sherman and Colin Kaepernick might not have reached.
“I’m impressed with the white QBs speaking up because those are voices that carry different weight than the black voices for some people,” Sherman said. “Which means the people who refuse to listen to a black athlete’s perspective will hear the same thing said from a white athlete, but receive the message much differently. So it’s awesome that more people are speaking out, because in sports, you really have a love and appreciation for your fellow man, regardless of race. And I think that’s what makes sports and teams so special, because a lot of the stereotypes are torn down. You really get to know one another, not judge based off nonsense.”
Football players have taken action in addition to sharing words in the last few days and it will take more of that from all corners of our country to move from spasms of anger to a path of lasting change.