The NFL announced it would close its offices and make June 19th a holiday for its workers. It is to honor Juneteenth, which celebrates the end of slavery in the United States.
Several teams have since made it an organizational holiday and the Arizona Cardinals are the latest to do so. According to Darren Urban for the official team site, team president and chairman Michael Bidwill sent an email to staff on Tuesday announcing it would be a permanent organizational paid holiday, “in order for the franchise to ‘reflect on the history of civil rights in the United States and how we can all work together for a much better future.'”
For players, there won’t be much difference. Veteran players were given the rest of the offseason off until training camp opens, and by this time, they are almost always off. Rookies still usually have meetings but now will not.
It is more symbolic than anything but it means nonplayers will have the day off to honor the effective end of slavery in our country. And while players already have the day off, it sends a message to them, as the NFL is roughly 70% made up of Black players, that the organization stands with them in their efforts to make racial equality and issues of race something that more actively think about and try to achieve.
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