Teams around the NFL have expressed their support for players kneeling during the national anthem amid the fallout of the death of George Floyd in police custody. Mike Tomlin, the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, revealed his thoughts on Pittsburgh players protesting during the anthem.
Similar to most coaches, Tomlin wants players to be comfortable protesting, even if that means kneeling before games. Tomlin also shared that the Steelers have spoken about what players can do to use their platform to the best of their ability.
Back in 2016, teams around the NFL weren't all in support of Colin Kaepernick when he chose to kneel during the anthem. However, this time around, the majority of the league seems to be on the same page as supporting players in protesting.
The Steelers head coach informed Will Graves of the Associated Press of Pittsburgh's stance on protesting:
“Our position is simple,” Tomlin said. “We are going to support our players and their willingness to partake in this, whether it is statements or actions. You guys know my feelings, I have stated them in the past. Statements are good, but impact is better. Particularly long-term impact.”
Tomlin, who is one of three African American coaches in the NFL, has been vocal on how the Steelers will encourage players to let their voices be heard. Furthermore, Tomlin wants to see more actions than statements being made in an effort to create change.
Given that, it's expected that the Steelers will be kneeling in solidarity when the 2020 NFL season begins.
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