Todd Gurley Challenges NFL To Do More For Black Community

The Atlanta Falcons running back wants the league to do more than play an extra song before games.

Atlanta Falcons running back Todd Gurley II was a part of The Bigger Picture roundtable discussion with Victor Cruz, Odell Beckham, Jr. and Cam Newton.

As William Brandon went into detail about, the quartet discussed an array of topics- from the COVID-19 pandemic to Black Lives Matter and each of the respective active athletes, Gurley, Newton and Beckham, Jr., trying to bounce back on different teams than the ones that drafted them.

Towards the end of the discussion, Gurley put out a challenge to NFL organizations to do more for the Black community.

He introduced the point by asking the table what impact playing the Black national anthem would have on improving the Black community.

"Like, what [does] that answer?" Gurley asked the table. "Is that going to- that's not enough. You shouldn't have even started with that, you should've started with something bigger than that."

Gurley then leaned back in his chair after making the statement.

"I bet they ain't putting that BLM [Black Lives Matter] on the field," Beckham, Jr. interjected.

"Nope," Gurley responded.

Cruz, the moderator of the discussion, suggested all players wear black gloves, or just anything to show initiative. Gurley agreed. Cruz said the way the league has initiatives for Breast Cancer Month and Salute to Service, it should have one for Black Lives Matter. To make the idea a reality, Cruz said the players would have to push for it.

"We can't be afraid to come up with an actual plan and pitch that s--- to them," Gurley said.

Gurley wasted no time giving back to the Atlanta community since signing with the Falcons in March, but he hasn't necessarily been the most outspoken player on the roster about the latest push for Black Lives Matter. 

"We have to apply pressure as players," Gurley said. "Just the whole situation. Enough is enough. It's time for us to make sure these high-power organizations are doing something for a cause. Whatever it is, especially African-Americans, whatever. Football, basketball, baseball. We have the platform, the opportunity, and they have no choice but to give us that right now because they owe it to us."

The NFL has been one of the most, if not the most, looked professional sports league looked at in the fight for racial equality, after Colin Kaepernick didn't receive a contract offer following the 2016 season, when he kneeled during the national anthem. Kaepernick said he kneeled because the country hasn't shown "justice for all."

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