Vikings linebackers tweet takedown of NFL's statement on social justice: 'Vague answers do nothing'

Vinnie Iyer

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Vikings linebackers tweet takedown of NFL's statement on social justice: 'Vague answers do nothing' image

When the NFL made its official statement last Saturday in response to the death of George Floyd and the protests that have followed in Minneapolis and nationwide over the past week, there was major criticism of commissioner Roger Goodell for not saying anything impactful regarding the issue of systemic racism.

Two Vikings linebackers now have taken the NFL to task for the latest, typical canned response. Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks, representing the Vikings' team social justice committee, tackled the league head-on with an identical Twitter thread on Tuesday.

First, as a refresher, this is what came from Goodell:

"The NFL family is greatly saddened by the tragic events across our country. The protesters' reactions to these incidents reflect the pain, anger and frustration that so many of us feel.

"Our deepest condolences go out to the family of Mr. George Floyd and to those who have lost loved ones, including the families of Ms. Breonna Taylor in Louisville, and Mr. Ahmaud Arbery, the cousin of Tracy Walker of the Detroit Lions.

"As current events dramatically underscore, there remains much more to do as a country and as a league. These tragedies inform the NFL's commitment and our ongoing efforts. There remains an urgent need for action. We recognize the power of our platform in communities and as part of the fabric of American society. We embrace that responsibility and are committed to continuing the important work to address these systemic issues together with our players, clubs and partners."

MORE: Jeffrey Lurie's statement on racial injustice stands out in NFL

And here was how Barr and Kendricks tore down the statement, tweet by tweet.

If Barr and Kendricks' goal was provide strength in numbers and by repetition, they succeeded loud and clear on "Blackout Tuesday." 

Their thoughts were echoed by their Vikings teammates and the organization as a whole, which turned its Twitter page black. Playing for all of Minnesota and in Minneapolis, Barr and Kendricks embraced their local social responsibility with power to match. Your move again, NFL.

Vinnie Iyer

Vinnie Iyer Photo

Vinnie Iyer, has been with TSN since 1999, not long after graduating from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. He has produced NFL content for more than 20 years, turning his attention to full-time writing in 2007. A native of St. Louis, Mo. but now a long-time resident of Charlotte, N.C. Vinnie’s top two professional sports teams are Cardinals and Blues, but he also carries purple pride for all things Northwestern Wildcats. He covers every aspect of the NFL for TSN including player evaluations, gambling and fantasy football, where he is a key contributor. Vinnie represents TSN as host of the “Locked On Fantasy Football” podcast on the Locked On network. Over his many years at TSN, he’s also written about MLB, NBA, NASCAR, college football, tennis, horse racing, film and television. His can’t-miss program remains “Jeopardy!”, where he was once a three-day champion and he is still avid about crossword puzzles and trivia games. When not watching sports or his favorite game show, Vinnie is probably watching a DC, Marvel or Star Wars-related TV or movie.