Joe Burrow spoke out after cancelations across the sports world.
The Milwaukee Bucks, who chose to boycott their playoff game against the Orlando Magic after the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, started a movement that has spanned almost all active American sports. The Cincinnati Bengals have yet to offer any sort of official statement on the matter, and they have yet to cancel practice, but that hasn’t stopped Joe Burrow from taking matters into his own hands and calling for change.
The Bengals rookie vouched for less symbolic action and more concrete activism, as he claimed that saying “I stand with you” in times like these is simply not good enough and is doing nearly everything to avoid actually taking a stance.
How can you hear the pain Black people are going through and dismiss it as nothing. How can you hear the pain and respond with anything other than “I stand with you.”
— Joey Burrow (@JoeyB) August 27, 2020
Joe Burrow is impressing on and off the field for the Bengals
Burrow was a virtual lock to go No. 1 overall, as his ungodly production at LSU that won him a Heisman Trophy coupled with his tremendous accuracy made sure of the fact Cincinnati didn’t have to wait long to select him in the 2020 NFL Draft.
While Burrow has been drawing rave reviews for his play on the field, his leadership has helped the Bengals instantly gravitate towards their charismatic leader. Burrow could’ve stayed silent and put his head down, but he chose to stick his neck out and demand more tangible action, and he should be given nothing but the utmost praise for doing so.
Bengals rookie Joe Burrow has taken his position as the NFL's top draft pick and a starting quarterback and used it as a platform to voice his thoughts about racial inequality issues: https://t.co/NJJaQeEZXU#Bengals @Bengals @NFL #NFL
— Local 12/WKRC-TV (@Local12) August 27, 2020
While Burrow’s skills on the field are obviously the main reason he was able to go No. 1 overall, his leadership and maturity are what will ultimately help him become a success in this league. The Bengals have to feel lucky they ended up with someone in Burrow who is both unafraid to speak his mind and able to call for positive change in society.