Ohio State Football Players Share Message Calling For Change

Amid the nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, the Ohio State football program released a video late Monday night urging fans to fight racism.

Captioned with the hashtags #BlackLivesMatter and #FightForAChange, several players — including defensive ends Jonathon Cooper and Tyreke Smith; wide receiver C.J. Saunders and Chris Olave; offensive guard Wyatt Davis; cornerbacks Marcus Williamson, Shaun Wade and Sevyn Banks; tight end Luke Farrell; quarterback Justin Fields; punter Drue Chrisman; center Josh Myers; linebackers Tuf Borland, Pete Werner and Justin Hilliard; and running back Master Teague — as well as head coach Ryan Day, shared the following message:

“Don’t ignore George Floyd. His senseless killing at the hands of law enforcement has shaken this nation at its core. His death, along with countless others, has once again brought these injustices to the forefront of our society. For far too long, Black Americans have suffered under systems of racism and oppression. This time, it’s different. This time we’ve had enough.

“As members of the Ohio State football team, we have a platform not only in Central Ohio, but around the globe. With this platform, it is our duty to promote awareness and evoke change. We will no longer stand silent as these issues continue to plague our friends, citizens, neighbors, and teammates. We stand in solidarity with the black community and equal rights for all. This is not white versus black. This is everyone against racism. As a team, we’ve committed ourselves to fight for change. And now, we’re asking for you to join us.”

Demonstrations over Floyd’s death broke out in Columbus last week, with Ohio State basketball player Seth Towns notably detained on Friday while peacefully protesting downtown.

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