A message from #Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy 🎥 https://t.co/Rzonr4CG4i
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 29, 2020
Green Bay Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy produced a nearly four-minute video statement on the team’s ideas and future plans for helping drive change on societal issues in Wisconsin and around the country.
Murphy said events of the last few months, including the shooting of Jacob Blake by police officers in Kenosha, “had an impact on our entire organization.”
Murphy reminded viewers of the efforts of Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi during previous struggles for societal change back in the 1960s and shot down the idea that a football team like the Packers should just “stick to sports.”
Murphy said he wants to push the team to “stand up” for the tradition once set by Lombardi by “supporting and advocating” for the “basic human rights” of all American citizens, especially those in the Black community.
Here are some highlights from Murphy’s statement:
– The Packers are creating a $250,000 grant for social justice causes.
– The Packers want to help all police officers get body cams.
– Packers players will be meeting with Wisconsin legislators.
– The team’s Johnsville Tailgate Village near Lambeau Field will become a polling station for November’s election.
– Murphy called on all 32 NFL owners to help make a difference.
– Murphy also called on sponsors, local businesses and local leaders to help the Packers drive change.
For those unwilling or unable to view the video, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic provided a full transcript of Murphy’s message:
The entire transcript of Packers president Mark Murphy's three-minute, 47-second video statement on https://t.co/jY7zCj3xgq in wake of Jacob Blake shooting in Wisconsin is below.
He talks Lambeau polling station, social justice grants, calling on 31 owners, body cams and more: pic.twitter.com/EO5XJbc49f
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 29, 2020
Murphy, a native of New York and a player for the Washington Football Team from 1977 to 1984, spent 10 years as the athletic director at Colgate University and five years as the athletic director at Northwestern before becoming the Packers’ president and CEO in 2007.
