Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers spoke with the media following training camp on Monday. While talking about the efforts by NFL players to address social inequalities on and off of the field, Rodgers touched on Laker’s superstar, LeBron James. He stated that the fact that James hadn’t responded to Donald Trumps’ tweet yet was “absolutely beautiful. At a time where he’s putting on display his school, which is changing lives, there’s no need. Because you’re just giving attention to that (tweet); that’s what they want. So just don’t respond.”
When asked if he would tweet a response on behalf of James, Rodgers went on to say,
“Actually, I texted with a friend and I said this: ‘LeBron needs no help. He has stood on his own two feet for years, and he has done some incredible things, and he needs no support. He knows he has the support of his contemporaries, in his own sport and in other sports, and he’s gonna be fine.’
Considering that there are a ton of quarterbacks and elite players in the NFL that have largely remained silent on the ensuing war of words between Trump and the NFL, it’s really quite refreshing to hear the perspective of arguably the best player in the league. Rodgers also stated that the belief that the accusation of NFL players who kneel because they don’t support or love the troops is “way off base”, and people “miss the point of what this is all about”.
“I don’t know how many times we can say, as a player and as a group, how much we love and support and appreciate the troops, and the opportunities this country allows us. But this is about equality and something bigger than ourselves, and bringing people together, and love and connectedness and equality and social justice, and putting a light on people who deserve to have the attention for their causes and their difficult situations that they’re in. You know, people have their opinion — you shouldn’t do it during the anthem, you shouldn’t do it during this — that’s fine. But let’s not take away from what the real issue is.”
This teamwork and level of understanding is what it is all about, people.