Michael Bennett Says Cam Newton, NFL Stars Must Influence Social Change

With NBA and WNBA stars recently speaking out regarding the police-related shooting deaths of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett called for NFL players to follow suit Saturday.

According to ESPN.com's Sheil Kapadia, Bennett stressed the importance of the league's best players taking a public stance on social issues and singled out Carolina Panthers quarterback and reigning NFL MVP Cam Newton:

"

But a lot of things in the NFL are so broken. You don't see a lot of great players talking about things socially, whether it's Peyton Manning or Aaron Rodgers, all of these guys, they're white. They don't have to deal with the things that we deal with as black players, so it's not as many.

In the NBA, everybody is standing up for it, so the greatest players are in the forefront of the movement. Here in the NFL, the greatest players aren't in the forefront of the movement. Whether it's the CBA, whether it's things going on with trying to change the way -- concussions. The greatest players aren't involved like LeBron James, Chris Paul and all these guys [in the NBA]. Our great players are sitting back just taking the dollars, whether it's [Newton], all these guys. They're not really on the forefront of trying to change what's going on.

"

The 30-year-old veteran also took a wider view of the situation, insisting athletes as a whole should use their fame to improve the social climate rather than worrying solely about generating revenue:

"

Eventually, we'll have to get together as a whole sports community, because at the end of the day, athletes have a brand, and we control what is sold in America. Whatever is sold, usually we're the conduits to whatever it is. So whether it's shoes, clothes, whatever, a drink, soda, food -- athletes hold the key to what people want.

So as athletes, we need to start controlling that influence and keep it positive and not always about dollar to dollar. Finding a way to make something sustainable so when we're in the community, make a sustainable event, make a sustainable thing in the community, not so much about money.

"

His comments came on the heels of teammate Richard Sherman's interview with Domonique Foxworth of The Undefeated in which the All-Pro cornerback advocated "All Lives Matter" rather than Black Lives Matter.

Bennett appeared ESPN's SportsCenter on Monday and stated he reached out to Newton to clarify his comments, per Kapadia, who provided more from Bennett:

"

I just said that I'm not trying to make a division within the community of NFL players. I'm just trying to bring unity, basically. Sometimes you read things, and it comes out like I'm saying that that's the main person. But I'm just saying that we need to work together to come together with what's going on and figure a way, how can we be better? How can we be better influencers?

Just want to work well with all the players together. It takes a village to do something like this. It's not going to be one player. It's going to be a group of players. I just want to emphasize that to a lot of the players.

"

James, Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade took the social discussion to center stage when they called for change and awareness in an address to the country prior to the start of the ESPYs.

Bennett's comments suggest he is well aware of the idea that the NFL's popularity could give it a louder, more influential voice than any other sports organization in the world.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.