Las Vegas Raiders tight end Jason Witten has spoken with city leaders as he tries to uphold the team's tradition of inclusion. Witten said for him this is personal because he has had friends who have been subject to discrimination and persecution just because of the color of their skin. Per Mark Anderson of the Las Vegas Review Journal, Witten said,
“I know from life experience, some of my best friends, some of the people I respect the most had a much more challenging situation than I did. A big reason why was the color of their skin. I think that black lives matter, and I would communicate that to all of my following.”
Witten has always been a player very involved with the community, and in 2012, he won the Walter Peyton Man of the Year Award. Witten said he knew when he signed with the team that he could make a positive impact on the city:
“I know the tradition of [late owner] Al Davis and the Raiders organization … I felt it when I signed from [owner] Mark Davis and coach [Jon] Gruden. I see it with the players, the leaders on that team, the passion they have not to just be the best on the field, but to use that platform to make a difference in this city.”
Witten knows there is a lot of tension between police departments and the community, something he hopes he can help improve upon. It's going to take more than Witten to for changes to take place, but it's clear that he is going to do everything in his power to help turn the relationship around.
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