Prior to Thursday's NFL season opener, the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans met at midfield as a sign of unity, a moment that, to the surprise of some, elicited boos from the fans at Arrowhead Stadium:
After the game, three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt said that he didn't "fully understand" why some fans booed.
Ryan Clark had a decorated college career at LSU, before playing 13 NFL seasons for the New York Giants, Washington Football Team and Pittsburgh Steelers. Now an analyst for ESPN, Clark had a strong response as to why there was booing.
"Patrick Mahomes and DeSean Watson...two black dudes - that are the highest paid players in NFL history - decide that we're gonna come together. We're gonna come together for unity. We're going to come together to say that we are all in this fight for the same thing. We want everyone to be treated equally. We want everyone to have the same justice system. We want everyone to get the same rights and protections that are their's by law. So we're just gonna come together and do it. We're not gonna kneel...it's not gonna mess up the anthem...it's not gonna destroy your day in any way. And then J.J. Watt says 'Well, we just came together for unity, I don't really understand why people would boo.' Well, I'mma help him out. They're booing because you're doing stuff for Black people. They're booing because you are saying that police brutality - social injustice against that community is wrong. That's why they're booing - not because ya'll linked up, not because white players are hanging out with Black players and they see things the same way. It's about the thing you see the same way."
You can listen to Clark's full thoughts below:
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