Vikings focused on two things in 2020
Some in the media and fandom circles that exist across the internet were surprised that the Minnesota Vikings didn’t boycott practices this week after the shooting of Kenosha, Wisconsin resident Jeff Blake (or during the lack of real information following the suicide on Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis).
In our quick to rush to judgement culture, some thought that that meant the Vikings didn’t care about what happened in Kenosha, or on 38th and Chicago in their home city of Minneapolis, but it turns out that the team cares more about long-term change and the success that comes with it.
That’s true in more than one way, as the team said today they have two goals in 2020 and beyond, winning a championship and bringing real change to the racial inequality that other teams boycotted games or practices over this week.
Zimmer discussed this by saying:
“There really wasn’t much discussion about not practicing. There was a lot of different things discussed. The thing that came out of it is we want to make change and us missing practice one day is a 24-hour shock value and we feel like we can do more things with our football team and with our voices as we continue to move forward.’’
The Vikings have a 10-man social justice team, and they spoke out today regarding their plans for the above mentioned goals.
You can watch the statement from the team that was made from US Bank Stadium today.
Vikings Kirk Cousins and Eric Kendricks, both members of the social justice team, discussed this via Zoom.
According to GrandForksHerald.com:
“Obviously, our nation is filled with all these issues, and people may not be sure how to solve them all at one time,’’ Kendricks said.
“But that’s what’s on our plate. It’s about us going into our community, as a team or individually, and seeking out how we want to give back. … We’re talking about all these problems, but we have to have solutions and ideas that are creative.’’
Kendricks wore a shirt saying that the police that killed Breonna Taylor in her home need to be prosecuted, and also spoke on NFL Network as well.
So, what does this have to do with winning a championship? Cousins has an answer.
“Winning football games could have a powerful effect just to create unity in our city at a time when there has been a lot of division,’’ Cousins said.
“Obviously, we want to steward our platform as football players in other ways, too. …. We acknowledged in the meeting that a part of that is winning football games and the positive effect that could have to hopefully bring people together and create change in a positive, healthy way.’’
While some may say that’s silly, we saw with the post-Katrina Saints that football can unify people and help resurrect city/state pride. The difference here is that the team also plans to use that pride in a positive way to create real, fundamental and permanent change.
Something that the ownership of the team fully supports, as you can read via their press release here.