It has been a whirlwind offseason for the Roger Goodell and the NFL that has seen them attempt to navigate. Goodell has come under fire after the increased push for social change as the league has lacked support for its players. With that in mind, the longtime NFL commissioner has taken the initiative to voice a strong statement supporting the players.

NFL players voice their desire for social change

The last several months have seen an increased push for social change across the country.

The sports world has taken the steps toward helping create change. The NBA has led the charge to back its players by allowing them to utilize the elevated platform. The other sports league such as the NFL, MLB, and MLS have primarily followed in those progressive footsteps.

It has seen many NFL players voice their disgruntlement with the lack of support from their league. That has led many to air the desire for recognition and support for Black Lives Matter and increase the efforts toward creating social change. These actions pushed the NFL to commit to $250 million over the next 10 years to help end systemic racism.

Goodell has taken that a step further behind issuing a strong message to the NFL players ahead of the 2020 season.

Roger Goodell says NFL will back its players in push for social change

There hasn’t been any shortage of criticism toward Roger Goodell over how he has handled many situations.

That has been the case this offseason beyond how the NFL has responded to the coronavirus pandemic. The bulk of the criticism is directed at the lack of support toward the players’ desire for social change. With that in mind, Goodell has voiced on CNBC that the league will stand behind the players and do what they can to create change. (H/T CNBC)

“We’re going to stand behind our players,” Goodell said on “Squawk Alley.” He added, “We respect our players and they have done a great job of bringing attention to these issues. Our focus now is, ‘How do we support them in making the changes?’”

Although it has taken Goodell some time in reaching this point, it’s an encouraging sign to see the NFL move in that direction. However, it will need to require more action behind those words to garner the respect and praise from the players.

More actions to come from the NFL

The ongoing social issues that the Black community faces in the United States has driven players in various sports league to take action.

The NFL has seen the players use their influence via social media to air those concerns and desires for social justice. All that puts the league in the position to use its elevated platform to bring more awareness to help create change.

The NFL plays arguably the most popular sports in the country, which gives it a unique opportunity to make a significant impact. Roger Goodell is at the forefront of moving those efforts forward and must continue to take action through the league’s resources. That must see many of the NFL’s owners use their influences away from football to help generate change.

There are plenty of avenues that Roger Goodell and the NFL can take to increase their efforts to bring much-needed social justice. It’s on them to commit to those actions to not only back the players but set an example for other sports leagues and industries to follow.