Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie is not one to keep his mouth shut when the going gets tough. It’s tougher than ever out there right now.
The major issue dividing the United States of America isn’t over the novel coronavirus. That virus has gone dormant as a new one has infected the country: systemic racism. The sad part is the new virus has been here for 400 years.
Lurie used his celebrity platform to make a statement on the matter following the tragic death of George Floyd. The billionaire’s tone was serious yet hopeful and he promised to do everything in his power to help “foster lasting social change.”
“Many of us, myself included, cannot truly understand the burden of a weight we have never had to carry through life. We must at least try, as best we can, to imagine ourselves as the person who is hurting, neglected and oppressed,” Lurie wrote. “It is our shared responsibility to address the pain and combat systemic racism. There is so much we can all do to improve our unequal system of justice, our schools, and our communities. This is a time for leadership. A time for us to be united in action.”
Statement from Jeffrey Lurie, Chairman/CEO
The Eagles are taking the issues pertaining to systemic racism and social injustice to heart after violent rioting and peaceful protesting both shook the City of Brotherly Love. The organization changed its flashy neon green Eagles logo to a black veil on Twitter. This is what former Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins had been preaching for a long time. Be the change you want to see.
“I am heartbroken and repulsed,” Lurie said. “There are no words strong enough to describe the horrific deaths and injustices the black community continues to endure.”
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Eagles Turned Virtual Meeting into Race Discussion
The Eagles have been conducting “virtual” team meetings in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Normally, head coach Doug Pederson leads them and positional coaches will chime in when called upon. On Monday, Lurie opened the meeting and turned it into a full-on discussion on racial issues.
It was powerful since Lurie typically doesn’t address the team. Then, he turned it over to some of the team’s leaders to keep the conversation going. DeSean Jackson, Malik Jackson, Carson Wentz, Zach Ertz and Rodney McLeod all spoke up. There has also been a slew of statements on the subject from current and former Eagles players on social media.
“As I sat in our virtual team meeting this morning and listened to some of my black teammates share their thoughts and experiences related to what is going on, I am truly heartbroken,” kicker Jake Elliott wrote. “Devastated for my brothers and everyone directly affected by racism in America. It is a problem.”
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Eagles Owner Preaches Social Change, Repulsed by ‘Systemic Racism’