Denver Broncos free safety Justin Simmons ditched the tape and pads for a microphone on Sunday, joining hundreds of other protestors in Stuart, Florida.
Simmons is one of many athletes to step up to make use of their platform to battle racial injustice and police brutality in the wake of George Floyd's murder. The Broncos safety made an impassioned speech on Sunday:
“I understand the pain and the grief, but this has not just been an act of George Floyd,” Simmons told the protestors, according to The Athletic. “It’s been an act of 300 and more years that we have been oppressed from the system. It will not change with violence. So today, we are not going to have any violence out here. We will not. We will be the difference.”
Simmons doesn't want to be pigeonholed as just an athlete with a voice, but rather a member of the black community suffering the same pain millions of fellow black citizens have felt for hundreds of years:
“I’m not one to speak just to be heard,” Simmons said on Sunday night. “Football is something I do, it’s not who I am. And just because I’m a part of that profession, I don’t think it entitles me to speak, so a lot of times I won’t do stuff like that. But this hit so close to home because for so long it’s been miserable time and time again for the black community with the systemic oppression and the injustices.
“I honestly think, and this may be me being optimistic, but I believe that while some people were taught to be racist growing up, I also believe there are people that are actually trying to fight the good fight and they just don’t understand.”
Here's video of Simmons' speech, courtesy of his mom:
Today in Stuart Proud of him! pic.twitter.com/TUgWJw7WD8
— Kimberly Simmons (@kdhs711) May 31, 2020
A number of athletes have spoken up against the systematic racism ingrained into society. Floyd's death was the drop in the bucket that caused an overflow of anger and hurt — sparking millions to protest.
On Sunday, Simmons wasn't a stud safety, but a black man hurting and making use of his platform to tell the world something needs to change — and quickly.
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