Kansas City Chiefs and NFL star Patrick Mahomes said he wants to "help the world" following George Floyd's death.
Floyd – an African-American man – died in police custody in Minneapolis last month, sparking protests against police brutality and racial injustice across the United States and beyond.
A police officer was filmed kneeling on Floyd's neck during an arrest after he was crying out for help as he was handcuffed and pinned to the ground.
Super Bowl champion and MVP Mahomes, 24, is determined to drive change amid the anti-racism protests.
"I can't watch the entire George Floyd video through and through," Mahomes said. "I've watched it in parts but it hurts me too much to my soul to see him and feel like I can't help.
"I wanted to sit back and listen. I didn't want to act off anger. I didn't want to act off hurt. I wanted to listen and make the best informed decision that I think I could to help the world, help the community with my platform."
There has been plenty of talk about NFL players kneeling during the national anthem when the season gets underway.
Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick was the first player to kneel during the anthem in protest against racial injustice in 2016, before he was released the following year.
New Orleans Saints star Drew Brees said players who knelt during the anthem were "disrespecting the flag", comments which sparked fierce backlash and led to an apology.
Mahomes said: "It's not about who kneels and who doesn't kneel. It's about having the right to peacefully protest and to recognise that social injustices are happening and racial inequity does happen every single day.
"I just want the community to be somewhere where everybody including black people can feel like they can go into the community and be safe. Whatever way that is, whatever actions we can take to do that, it's all about doing that as quickly as possible."