Kyler Murray says he will 'definitely be taking a knee' during 2020 NFL season
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray wants his voice — and his actions — to be heard. Murray said he will “definitely be taking a knee” during the 2020 NFL season, according to Darren Urban of azcardinals.com.
Murray, 22, said there are too many things “wrong” right now, and that he believes his generation can make a huge impact on race relations in the United States.
Kyler Murray said he will be "definitely be taking a knee" this season. Too many things are "wrong" right now and he wants to continue the dialogue. But he also is optimistic his generation can make race relations much better.
— Darren Urban (@Cardschatter) June 17, 2020
Murray expressed support for Black Lives Matter protests. He also stressed that people need to be anti-racist, which involves holding people accountable when they make racist comments.
The fact that Murray is speaking out comes as a surprise, as he wasn’t as vocal during his rookie season, according to ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss.
After being relatively quiet last season as a rookie, Kyler Murray has, undoubtedly, found his voice. He understands his platform and what his voice means, and it’s clear he’s going to use it.
— Josh Weinfuss (@joshweinfuss) June 17, 2020
After George Floyd’s death, Murray said he’s noticed more people are talking about racial injustice and police brutality.
More Kyler Murray: "I feel like now more than ever people can just say whatever they want to say.
"Before (George Floyd’s) death we had to beat around the bush and straddle the line and be politically correct.”— Josh Weinfuss (@joshweinfuss) June 17, 2020
Considering his status in the NFL, Murray’s willingness to address those issues could have a major impact on the future of the game. Murray — who was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2019 NFL draft — is considered a rising star in the NFL after a promising rookie season. He’s among the most talented and marketable players in the NFL, and could emerge as the face of the sport within the next five years.
A player of Murray’s magnitude speaking out is significant. His voice carries a lot of weight.
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