NFL On Kneeling Players' Protests: 'We Were Wrong,' Commissioner Says

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Friday the NFL admits that "we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest."
The statement, made in a video over Twitter, comes a day after nearly 20 players called on the NFL to take a stronger stance amid a nationwide protest of police brutality against black people.
"We, the NFL, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of Black People. We, the NFL, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the NFL, believe Black Lives Matter," the NFL said.
The league's statement makes no reference to former San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who has been the most visible protester within the NFL against police brutality and and racial inequality in the United States.
Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem before games in 2016. The peaceful protest was intended to focus attention on police violence against minorities and social inequality. As Kaepernick's protests gained momentum, it also drew the ire of President Trump and others, and eventually ended the Super Bowl quarterback's career the next season.
https://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-protests-for-racial-justice/2020/06/05/871290906/nfl-on-kneeling-players-protests-we-were-wrong-commissioner-says