Sports chatter: Redskins RB Adrian Peterson plans to kneel this season, and expects other NFL players to join
Peterson is the first player to publicly state that he will kneel this season, and he may not be the last.
Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel during the national anthem to shed light on police brutality and social injustice was met with initial shock in 2016. Other players around the league joined the movement, but only former 49ers’ teammate Eric Reid continued to kneel after Kaepernick was no longer in the league.
Redskins running back Adrian Peterson said he plans to bring back kneeling next season and doesn’t plan on being the only player doing so.
“Just four years ago, you’re seeing Kaepernick taking a knee, and now we’re all getting ready to take a knee together going into this season, without a doubt,” Peterson told the Houston Chronicle.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that more players may kneel this season after the recent deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, among others, have caused protests around the country. Now the question is: How will the NFL react this time?
The league created a national anthem policy in 2018 that required players and league personnel to stand or they would be subjected to a fine. Players were told to stay in the locker room if they didn’t want to stand.
Roger Goodell recently posted a video stating that “the NFL condemns racism," and the league has also donated more than $44 million dollars to help fight social injustice.
It’s unclear what players could be joining Peterson, but the NFL will either reaffirm its stance on the anthem policy or make major changes if players protest this season.
Conor McGregor retires for third time after losing his passion
When an athlete of Conor McGregor’s status retires, it’s supposed to be a sad moment. It’s supposed to be a moment when you realize a sport will never be the same because it is losing a star that can’t be replaced.
McGregor announced his retirement early Sunday morning, but this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this story. This is McGregor’s third retirement. He first retired in March of 2016, then did so again in April 2019.
At 31, McGregor still showcases peak physical condition. He even proved as much in his last fight, defeating Donald Cerrone in 40 seconds, but he said he has lost his passion.
“The game just does not excite me, and that’s that,” McGregor said to ESPN. “All this waiting around. There’s nothing happening. I’m going through opponent options, and there’s nothing really there at the minute. There’s nothing that’s exciting me.”
Justin Gaethje’s upset victory over Tony Ferguson likely denied McGregor a chance of a title shot against Ferguson. Talk began to pick up about a Gaethje fight versus Khabib Nurmagomedov, which left McGregor on the outside looking in.
I don’t believe this is the last we have seen of McGregor. His excitement will probably come back after watching Gaethje and Nurmagomedov fight, and he’ll be back in the mix.
If this is the end, McGregor will be remembered for his flashy style inside and outside of the octagon. He’s one of the biggest reasons that UFC has become a larger draw as a pay-per-view event.
Westbrook, DeRozan join protest in Compton
DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook joined protesters in Compton, Calif. Sunday to bring awareness to systematic racism and police brutality.
“It’s impossible for you to understand what happen today if you don’t understand the past,” Westbrook said in an Instagram post.
DeRozan and Westbrook are both from southern California. Westbrook also addressed the crowd at the protest.