Racial tension in the U.S. is as a height it hasn’t seen in a long time. Not since the late 1950s and early 1960s. The murder of Minneapolis black man George Floyd sparked protests across the country. It didn’t take long to sweep through the sports world with several athletes including NFL players getting involved. A number of former Chicago Bears were among them. Matt Forte appeared at one such protest in person. Same for Rashied Davis. However, the most incredible moment probably belongs to Martellus Bennett.
Anybody who followed the Bears from 2013 to 2015 remembers the tight end well. In addition to being a good football player, Bennett had a reputation for being vocal in his beliefs. He had no qualms about burying the organization after they traded him to New England in 2016. That mentality seems to have only grown since he retired. With a number of incidents popping up around the NFL involving racial “insensitivity,” Bennett launched into a Twitter thread that must be seen to be believed.
It started when New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees kicked off a firestorm. He was asked his thoughts on the recent protests and in a moment of supreme ignorance stated he could not support anybody who disrespected the American flag. It trudged up a tired argument that this is what the protesting was about, which is and never has been the case. Several black teammates and others around the league were appalled. Bennett wasn’t surprised.
Martellus Bennett was only getting started though
His next target was Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio. The former Bears defensive coordinator had his own ugly moment when he stated during a press conference that he doesn’t see racism in the NFL. This despite clear evidence that the league has routinely not done enough to grant opportunities to black coaches and executives. Bennett laughed at the statement.
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Fangio quickly apologized for his remarks a day later. Bennett didn’t stop there though. He also called out the mainstream media for framing a negative narrative around black players. This is why black quarterbacks have such a hard time getting respect in the league. The NFL, for its part, hasn’t done nearly enough to actually create change.
Bennett ended it all with a promise that more was to come in the future. He has no plans on staying silent. Nor do a lot of current players in the league. This fight was a long time coming to them. In their eyes, a breaking point was reached with the Floyd incident. Some people may not agree with what he’s saying, but most of them probably haven’t experienced what he has. Like or hate him, he’s clearly speaking from the heart.