Colts, Packers among NFL teams canceling practice after Jacob Blake shooting
Several NFL teams have canceled practice on Thursday in solidarity with social justice protests.
Wednesday was a historic night in the sports world as all three NBA Playoff games scheduled were postponed, beginning with the Milwaukee Bucks boycotting their Game 5 against the Orlando Magic as a call for social justice in response to the Jacob Blake shooting in Wisconsin. Not only did the remaining four teams postpone their games but all WNBA and MLS games were postponed, as were three MLB games.
Following that, not only did the NBA indefinitely postpone their playoffs on Thursday but NFL teams began to join in solidarity with the calls for social justice. No, they didn’t have games to postpone but, in the thralls of training camp, many developed a course of action.
Beginning with the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday morning, NFL teams made the decision to cancel practices and, instead, meet as a team to discuss “social impact”.
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) August 27, 2020
As mentioned, other teams followed the Colts in canceling their practices.
It has been a very difficult day on many levels. After many conversations with Head Coach Ron Rivera and Jason, we have decided to postpone tomorrow’s practice at FedExField to engage in meaningful dialogue on social injustice. pic.twitter.com/7rGYYxDurD
— Julie Donaldson (@juliedonaldson_) August 27, 2020
The #Jets will not practice today, joining the Washington Team and the #Colts.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 27, 2020
The #Packers have canceled their practice. The #Bears have canceled theirs after players planned to protest. The #Jaguars are practicing after meeting for 2 hours to discuss actionable change.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 27, 2020
We have cancelled all team activities today.
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) August 27, 2020
Coach Kingsbury will be addressing the media at approximately 9:30 AM MST.
#Titans announce no practice today.
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) August 27, 2020
After a team meeting that lasted over two hours this morning, the #broncos will not practice this morning per sources.
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) August 27, 2020
That brings us to eight teams who will not be having practice on Thursday — or Friday in the case of Washington — in the wake of sports-wide protest in response to the Jacob Blake shooting in Wisconsin.
Though not every NFL teams canceled practice on Thursday, many did release statements regarding having team meetings to discuss ways they can make an impact on social justice moving forward.
NFL teams deciding to cancel practice speaks volumes.
While NFL teams may not be sitting out games as teams in the NBA, WNBA, MLB and MLS did on Wednesday night, missing practices ahead of the 2020 season still speaks a ton of volume.
Canceled OTAs, minicamps and offseason workouts, in addition to no preseason games, have left the league with an extremely limited amount of time to practice. That has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 protocols that limit the amount of time to get on the field as well. Subsequently, losing a day on the field has a huge effect on a team.
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As such, it speaks to the statement that these players and coaches are making in solidarity with the rest of the sports world in social justice. They aren’t missing regular season games but what they are missing is valuable, thus making their decision to not practice just as loud as anything else other sports organizations have done to this point.