#NFLVideos: Keep Pushin: 60 Years of Activism in the NFL

Keep Pushin: 60 Years of Activism in the NFL

If you are an athlete you must take it upon yourself to be an activist we’re going to continue to move forward because we know what we doing is right have you ever thought that we could be something more fighting for something so for sure I’ll never regret

Taking a knee and protest of systemic oppression police brutality tell the people kick back I got some more in store I can feel it in my car the first time I was called the n-word was in college when I went to the University of Washington you say it

Let’s say it be your pardon first time I was called a I don’t use those kind of words okay I’m made to inspire change and SPID of greed I’m made for this imagine in 1946 there were only four black players in the National Football League to be an

Activist is to be Jim Brown to be an activist is to be Kelvin beer to be an activist is to be Eric Reed to be an activist is to be Warren Moon to be an activist is to be Doug Williams to be black is to be Super Bowl

MVP to be black is to be proud this activism is his medicine change my feel like John woen I can show you what Legend is I am John Won and these are our Stories so irrespective of where you’re from what we see here are examples of folks from the East Coast West Coast from the north from the south that have a shared experience a shared shared experience of having to overcome to overcome obstacles of racism and this example of being able to overcome allows

Us stories and paths and ways forward so their example is one that shines for us an important deliberate Ways the first time I realized I would be treated differently because of the color of my skin was after winning a bowl game for SMU this one particular in elementary school I recall walking to class and a teacher grabbing me by the back of my neck because I was black I I

Wasn’t going to be good enough because I was black I wasn’t going to be able to make it out the neighborhood it pushes me every day to make sure that all barriers are removed and everyone has an opportunity to make their dreams become a reality the NW word to me is not

Something I like to talk about went to the University of Washington I was the first African-American quarterback to start up there came out of the tunnel there was somebody over on the side just you know letting me have it to be black is to be challenged and my mom my dad always told

Us don’t be out there walking the street but my grandmother needed me and I went to the store on my way back I got hit in the face with a milkshake just a band of cars come through there with those Rebel flags flying and we all knew what that

Stood for I Stand For Justice being black in New Mexico at that time was like being black Across the Nation maybe even worse we don’t want you to bring your colors when you come to play us got pulled over didn’t think none of it thrown into a back of a police car take

It downtown put in the mentally challenged part of a jail cell down in Dallas County football is a platform for equality after losing the national championship to Alabama it was normal day so as I turn on the street there’s two officers on motorcycles and they turn their lights on and they pull me

Over he leans in the car about 6 Ines from my face and screams the Miranda rights at me even as a guy who had just been on a national championship stage who was well known on campus and allamerican in everyday life I’m just a black kid in

The state of Louisiana being a black athlete is to be given responsibility I was very where when I signed to play with the Houston Oilers I was going to play in the South so having my son come to my locker after a game in tears wondering why people are calling their

His dad certain names that experience hurt me it affected the way I played on the field it affected the way I performed in the Huddle and compartmentalizing a lot of that anger and a lot of that negativity that was inside of me that I buried in order to keep moving forward and keep

Improving I’m not going to say I I got used to it but I’m going to say that it really hardened me as far as uh understanding you know that there’s a lot of bigotry and a lot of racism in our country once June Jones and some of the staff there at SMU

Call down to the station to find out about the situation there was no recollection of that actually ever happened but I think for me that’s when I realized what it was like being black oh they love you on that field though boy what you telling 60 years in the making fighting

For the same old changes Oh I look at being a blocker running interference clearing the way helping those that need help to score the touchdowns the touchdowns of life for what hey can we make this clear I want to be super clear that this photo should be the image that defines the term

Activism to sacrifice yourself to lead the way for those that come behind you number 60 John Wooten leading way for not only Jim Brown but for all black athletes who will follow his footsteps you must take it upon yourself you are going to work you’re going to

Give you’re going to be a part of showing your respect for human dignity Mr Wooten affords us a seat at the table he implores us that it’s our responsibility to be there that’s the the through line of the Cleveland Summit to be in unity to be in conversation to be in solidarity with

One another that’s the gift that Mr Wooten offers that the history that is the Cleveland Summit offers an opportunity for those who believe in doing what’s right to come together to heal one another to support and uplift one another to push ourselves forward for the greater

Good we going to keep pushing we ain’t going to stop every day it’s black history keeping that torch H what we’re doing here is letting the world know the progression and how the progression of the black player in the National Football League it’s come all the way from

1946 and there were only four players in the National Football League and today 71 to 73% who we really are with rosters of 53 and 57 men are black players in the National Football League what we you’re doing here is showing the world when given the opportunity our black players have

Excelled but by us standing together and that’s what we doing here at this time the same group the same thought the same idea similar to what we did with the champ in 1967 that’s when we with Jim Brown and I and all put together the Negro industrial economic Union which later became the

Be 60 years ago the Civil Rights Act was pass and Mr roon you were there at the signing yes you’ve experienced some incredible moments that have become legendary in black history in American history all of us are sitting here today through those that have fought for

The opportunity that we speak to that is exactly the whole purpose FR po of Alliance we started looking at it from the point that what are we going to do as black athletes in terms of the movement there’s nothing more that this country loves and football that is what has brought this

Country together that is what has pushed it forward and with that also we’re sitting with two of the finest first black quarterbacks in the NFL one is in the Hall of Fame one moon and the other should be in the Hall of Fame there wasn’t a certain moment that um

Made me think that that this was bigger than me I think it was a lot of things that were surrounding me at the time it was other African-American quarterbacks that were playing at that time it was me looking up to a a James Harris who was

Playing for the Rams at that time it was Marlon Brisco and how he broke into the league and and made his impact it was Joe Gilliam and watching him play and but I also knew I had my responsibility to to live up to to to the Next

Generation behind me so uh it was a lot more responsibility on my shoulders as as well as all those other guys shoulders that I just mentioned because we were playing for something bigger than ourselves think about where I am today and and how I get to where I am wow you

Know you think about becoming Super Bowl MVP and the faith that you had to have is the fact that if it’s a war it’s a fight it’s a game you go out and you battle one of the most insulted things at the press conference when one of the writers

Ask you how long had you been a black quarterback I mean I’m trying to figure out what does that mean how long has he been a black quarterback I think that’s what’s great about the game of football you get to put a helmet on sometimes nobody has to see your face

Nobody has to to to understand or really feel what you’re going through I hate talking about it I’ve never had to have this conversation before so to actually talk about it is horrible because you want to keep that inside because you want to be able to use it on [Applause]

Sundays do we protest do we push against even with our uniform on we do it’s difficult for others to understand but for the individuals that are doing it they’re locked in they’re committed they’re committed to self as if it’s not enough to be put in a box because you’re

Black then you’re put in yet another box because you’re a black athlete what we see are examples of athletes using their platform responsibly so that they’re not only Paving a way but making a way for those who come behind that example is activism will I be victorious at the end of it

All or was it for not elevating my grind so they can never put me in the Box the environment I’m in right now reminds me a lot of the environment that was most of the path of my career you had to stay on a straight and narrow path and if you ventured away

In that path in any way you could get hurt or cut or harmed and that’s what it feels like sitting in this chair right now if I if I don’t say the right things if I don’t do the right things I can pay for it I mean I even think about Warren Moon

We came out the same year Warren Moon went to Canada could you imagine Warren Moon Hall of Famer had to go to Canada there nowhere in the world this man should have had to go to Canada wins the MVP at the rosebowl championship ball club and yet

You got to go the Canada these men had to fight to just to play the position being in this box brings back a bunch of memories for me about my experience being in the NFL I got cut after breaking two records and never played again you would think that

A record-breaking player would have a spot on the team it’s not the case for me and I knew that I was a threat when the 45th president of the United States said that I needed to be fired get that son of a off the field right now out he’s fired he’s

Fired we haven’t broken any rules you haven’t broken any laws there’s no reason not to be able to do what you’re doing those are decisions that each individual owner has to make and their Club their coaches their general manager and I’ve talked to a lot of our clubs about it and so I’ve

Encouraged them and love to see him play again I have family members in the military so I’ve seen photos of Fallen Soldiers and so we were intentional with the gesture of taking a knee to be respectful to the people who said they were feeling disrespected when the 45th president of this

Country called all of these black players s so’s nobody stood up I hope it’s never too late to stand up and Eric the fact that I get a chance to say to you directly you’ve done nothing wrong it was never wrong the question is is this something

That I’m willing to stand for how do I do it within again the confines and the parameters of this game we love this country this is a great country in order for us to keep it great moving forward there are things that we’re going to have to

Do how can I create pathways on the business side of the game making sure that 10 15 20 years down the road when I’m looking around this box no longer exists although there has been progress and we should absolutely celebrate progress we are not where we want to be

We are not where we should be so individuals that look like me can grow up and not feel the Box these are the Pioneers that sacrifice their Blood Sweat and Tears these are the Pioneers that sacrifice the blood to W and tear these are the Pioneers that sacrifice the blood s and

Tears so stokeley carmichel explained in his 1968 black power speech that no man can give me my freedom I’m born free folks can only deny me my freedom we think about 60 years since the passage of the Civil Rights Act where it’s legislated where it’s explained that black folk are

Free that’s a shame and kind of ridiculous on its face as we’re in conversation here as these athletes but most importantly these human beings these people are explaining who they are are offering narratives of where they’re from the needless task of explaining their Humanity that’s something we shouldn’t have to do as Black

Folk but it’s something that we do nonetheless because as we hear we too seeing America we love America we are Americans We Built America we’re activists only in as much as we are pushing and demanding and fighting for and standing for the same freedoms that this country was built On I’ve been blessed probably more than anybody could ever expect simply because we played the game of football where we are telling the NFL we got more to do grind will determination courage power love I grew up always believing that nobody was better than me and I was

By no means better than anyone else don’t even know if you feeling selfish or blinded by the glories that you felt before football is a platform to create change for the greater good flashing lights from the crowd exciting me trying to leave my men the glory but the evils

They fighting me I stand on the shoulders of those who came before me but I still made a way like Fritz and I B to be an activist is to speak the truth we’re going to push on we know that what we’re doing is Right we’ve

Come along long ways we as a people have a longer way to go to be an activist is to be John Wooten lift every voice and sing till Earth and Heaven ring ring with a harmonies of Liberty let our rejoicing rise high as the Ling Sky let it re sound loud as the rooll see ever ever give up right you got it BR you got it right believe me when I tell you you have made these two old people happy Mr W is a cut [Applause]

On the 60th anniversary of the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and in celebration of Black History Month, NFL Network announces the debut of a new documentary “Keep Pushin: 60 Years of Activism in the NFL,”
The film traces the evolution of activism on the part of players of color through generations, shining a light on the realities of being a Black athlete in the NFL then and now, as well as showcases how players’ growing leadership in activism reflects the broader changes in America over the past six decades.

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