NFL donation of $20 million announced to help combat 'systematic' racism in the US

On Thursday, the NFL announced that it will donate an additional $20 million to support organisations that are fighting racial injustice in the United States. The announcement was made via NFL's social media handles where they stated the league stands with the "black communities" in the country. The NFL recently came under the microscope after Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio said there is "no racism in NFL". Subsequently, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees was criticised after he voiced his disapproval of protesting during the national anthem.

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NFL donation of $20 million announced 

The NFL posted a message on Twitter that read, "Through Inspire Change, the NFL, Players and our partners have supported programs and initiatives throughout the country to address systemic racism. We will continue using our platform to challenge the injustice around us." The league further noted that it had so far contributed $44 million to support "hundreds of organisations in the country who are working towards eradicating racism". Amid the ongoing protests against the death of George Floyd, it further announced that an additional $20 million will be used to "accelerate" the efforts of those organisations. 

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The announcement of the NFL donation comes after the unjust killing of George Floyd, an unarmed African-American, which sparked nationwide protests against racial inequality and police brutality in the country. The video of the incident showed Derek Chauvin, a Minneapolis police officer, pressing his knee against Floyd's neck for over eight minutes. The 46-year-old victim can be seen pleading and gasping for air as he slowly turns motionless. He died later that night. Chauvin was fired by the Minneapolis PD and was subsequently charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

Last week, the NFL released a statement on the brutal death of George Floyd, condemning the actions of the police officer while paying their condolences to the families of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, who were also victims of racial injustice in 2020. "The NFL family is greatly saddened by the tragic events across our country,"  the statement read. "The protesters' reaction to these incidents reflect the pain, anger and frustration that so many of us feel."

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The NFL has been working towards the education and economic development of the minority communities in the United States through The NFL and Players' Coalition. According to AP, the NFL donation figures in 2018 stood at $8.5 million. In 2019, the league donated $12 million.

Racism in NFL: NFL players protest

A number of NFL players including the likes of Odell Beckham Jr, Davante Adams, Michael Thomas, Deshaun Watson, Patrick Mahomes, and several others posted a coordinated video on their respective social media handles where they called on the league to condemn racism and work towards ending the systematic oppression of the minority communities. 

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