Last week, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell issued a statement and condemned racism after dozens of NFL players asked the league to do so. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI |
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June 11 (UPI) -- The NFL announced Thursday it will donate $250 million over the next 10 years to "combat systemic racism and support the battle against the ongoing and historic injustices faced by African-Americans."
"The NFL and our clubs will continue to work collaboratively with NFL players to support programs to address criminal justice reform, police reforms, and economic and educational advancement," the league said in a statement.
"In addition to the financial commitment, we will continue to leverage the NFL Network and all of our media properties to place an increased emphasis on raising awareness and promoting education of social justice issues to our fans and help foster unity."
The league's financial commitment extends and expands the initial deal that NFL owners and the NFL Players Coalition previously agreed to. That agreement would have surpassed $100 million during its term.
In the first two-plus seasons of the agreement, the NFL donated $44 million to fund its social justice programs. The league has awarded grants to 20 organizations and funded 350 grassroots programs.
Last week, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell issued a statement and condemned racism, admitting the league was "wrong" for not listening to its players earlier about racial injustice.
Goodell's statement came after more than a dozen NFL stars, including Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Cleveland Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr., came together and sent a passionate video to the league about racial inequality following the death of George Floyd.
The video by Goodell represented a significant turnaround for the league that created -- but never implemented -- a policy that allowed players to remain in the locker room to protest, but insisted they stand for the national anthem if they were on the field.
Racial injustice and police brutality were first brought to the NFL forefront in 2016, when former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem to peacefully protest and raise awareness for those issues. He hasn't played a snap in the league since parting ways with the 49ers in 2017.