McCourty Twins Back Dolphins HC Brian Flores' Statement on George Floyd
On May 25, George Floyd was killed after being placed under arrest by police for allegedly attempting to buy cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 dollar bill. An officer held him on the ground with a knee to his throat as he called out that he couldn’t breathe. Bystanders filmed the event which has sparked protests not only throughout the country, but around the world.
In the aftermath of Floyd’s death, prominent members of the sports community have used their platform to express their thoughts and hopes for the future of the country. Brian Flores, the former New England Patriots defensive coordinator who is now the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, was one of the first figures in the NFL to speak. Flores' statement was powerful and resonated with those who understood the importance of Miami's head coach - who is one of only three black head coaches in the league - saying something during one of the country's most trying times ever.
On May 31 on an episode of their podcast “Double Coverage” Patriots defensive backs Devin and Jason McCourty used their platform to discuss the current racial events and Flores’s statements.
“He holds a position that falls right into that category (representing the NFL),” Devin McCourty said, as transcribed by NESN. “A position that as players, as people who watch football know — we need more black coaches, we need more black GMs, we need more people in that position. So, to see him be outspoken — and knowing him personally, he’s always been like that — to me was great to see.
“It’s about leading men,” Devin McCourty continued. “It’s about men seeing the important things. We don’t just come to play football. We’re around each other, we mentor each other, we try to pour into each other. So, to see him go out there and make it public and say how he felt I thought was really good.”
Jason McCourty added: “I think that the athlete impact is huge. That’s one thing as I scroll through social media, from Carson Wentz to Joe Burrow, guys stepping out and saying how they feel and not only from athletes but companies. You see Netflix, Nike, Adidas, Reebok, different people standing up for what they believe and I think that is very important while we have this platform to use it for that.”
This movement that has taken place across the country over the past week is more than just football, but that doesn’t mean that those who have a larger platform cannot use it to promote change. Flores, the McCourty twins, along with many other players and coaches in the NFL have used their voices to encourage and support others to do the same as the country continues to protest social injustice.
