See It: Titans Say It's 'Time to Take A Stand'

Safety Kevin Byard and quarterback Ryan Tannehill, backed by the entire roster, called for change Thursday after they canceled their scheduled practice.

Tennessee Titans players spoke out Thursday about their feelings toward injustice and inequity in America that, they said, has gone on for "the past hundreds of years."

Safety Kevin Byard and quarterback Ryan Tannehill offered their thoughts on behalf of the entire roster in a short video press briefing.

Neither had prepared remarks. Instead, they shared their feelings based on conversations that had taken place throughout the morning with teammates and coaches. At one point, Tannehill even got emotional when he compared his own experience as a father to that of some of his black teammates.

The players did not take questions.

"We had a powerful conversation (Thursday) morning, guys spilling their hearts out and really hearing different perspectives on experiences, on viewpoints," Tannehill said. "As a team, we felt like it was important that we stand up here together, united. That, though we may be from different backgrounds, different situations, been through different experiences, we're together and we [will] support each other throughout this whole year.

"... We stand up here together, united demanding change."

The address was part of a full day of meetings and discussions that took place instead of the regularly scheduled practice and inspired by the actions of other professional sports teams and figures in the wake of Sunday's shooting death of Jacob Blake by Kenosha, Wisc. police.

Coach Mike Vrabel said the conversations would continue throughout the day -- and beyond, if necessary -- first in smaller groups and then with the full roster once again. He said the day was not planned but was a natural and needed response to the players' collective state of mind. He also called the encounters "real," "authentic" and "emotional."

Additionally, Vrabel announced that that the team had committed to several courses of social action, including an outreach program in which players will discuss social matters with local schoolchildren via Zoom. 

"We feel that with this moment right here, today, with my brother Ryan standing next to me and all my brothers standing behind me, we wanted to show solidarity and to be unified and to say we're tired," Byard said. "We're sick and tired of seeing the things that's been going on on social media for entertainment, seeing our black brothers and sisters be murdered by police like it's nothing. And I feel like it's time for a change."