Former Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett recently stated his opposition to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s apologetic statement in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
“If you’re supporting him, then your letter is really null and void,” Bennett said.
The veteran defensive end, now a free agent, explained that the NFL commissioner is being hypocritical for finally saying that African-American lives matter after so long because the league has been using them to gain revenue for decades.
“[Goodell] saying that Black Lives Matter is almost like a slap in the face,” Bennett said. “Black talent has been exploited at a high level in the NFL. He knows Black Lives Matter because without Black players the NFL wouldn’t be as lucrative as it is.”
Bennett questioned if Goodell said what he did to bring about positive change, suspecting that it was merely to save face.
“Is the intent of the NFL to really make a positive impact, or is it not to be seen as if they don’t respect the players?” Bennett asked. “We have to continuously push the NFL to change its core values and change its moral compass on a consistent basis.”
