Dolphins' Brian Flores says he's had guns drawn on him by police
'I lived this. I've had guns pointed at me by police officers'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Brian Flores is one of four minority head coaches in the NFL, and the Miami Dolphins leader has come to the front of the league’s social injustice initiatives since the death of George Floyd while in the custody of police in Minneapolis earlier this year.
On Friday, he explained that he has experienced overreach by police officers, when talking about the recent shooting of Jacob Blake and the protests that have engulfed practices in the NFL and sparked protests in the NBA, WNBA, MLB and eventually the NHL this week.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“We all know and understand things aren't where they need to be (in society) right now,” Flores said, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “I lived this. I've had guns pointed at me by police officers. This is not something I take lightly.”
The Dolphins were not one of the teams to postpone practice over the course of recent days. But he said the team has held meetings about strategies and initiatives to tackle racial injustice.
“We talked about this the other day and I addressed the Jacob Blake situation with you guys and talked about how upsetting and how frustrating it is when these situations come up time after time after time after time,” he said, according to the Orlando Sentinel. “We need change.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Flores, in May, released a powerful statement comparing the outrage over Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the anthem and the death of Floyd and other Black Americans.
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“I’ve had the privilege of being a part of many different circles that have included some very powerful and influential people of all different races and genders," Flores said in a statement. "The events of the last few weeks have brought some of the memories of those conversations back to light. I vividly remember the Colin Kaepernick conversations. ‘Don’t ever disrespect the flag’ was the phrase that I heard over and over again.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"This idea that players were kneeling in support of social justice was something some people couldn’t wrap their head around. The outrage that I saw in the media and the anger I felt in some of my own private conversations caused me to sever a few long-standing friendships,” Flores said.
“Most recently, I’ve had conversations about incentivizing teams for hiring minorities. Again, there was some outrage in the media and talks that this would cause division amongst coaches, executives, and ownership.
"I bring these situations up because I haven’t seen the same OUTRAGE from people of influence when the conversation turns to Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and most recently George Floyd," he said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Many people who broadcast their opinions on kneeling or on the hiring of minorities don’t seem to have an opinion on the recent murders of these young black men and women. I think many of them QUIETLY say that watching George Floyd plead for help is one of the more horrible things they have seen, but it’s said amongst themselves where no one can hear. Broadcasting THAT opinion clearly is not important enough.
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“I lead a group of young men who have the potential to make a real impact in this world. My message to them and anyone else who wants to listen is that honesty, transparency, and empathy go a long way in bringing people together and making change. I hope that the tragedies of the last few weeks will open our hearts and minds to a better way of communicating and hopefully create that change.”