Brandon Marshall Addresses Relationship with Owners, More in NFL Meetings Speech

New York Giants wide receiver Brandon Marshall told a group of NFL owners and executives that the relationship between management and players "could be so much better" on Monday.

Marshall addressed the group at the request of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who sought a player's perspective on how to improve the game for both parties, per Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com. San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York publicly thanked Marshall for his message on Twitter:

Marshall said he encouraged the owners to continue the "My Cause My Cleats" program, which allowed players to wear custom cleats supporting an organization of their choice. 

"[My Cause My Cleats] gave the world and our fans in the NFL the opportunity to see that we are people and we're not just gladiators," Marshall told reporters. "And it humanized us. It not only gave people outside of the game the opportunity to see who we really are but also the owners and executives and even players."

The players want additional areas in which they're allowed to express themselves going forward. Marshall said he offered ideas to owners during his speech. 

"We want to continue to get more of that," Marshall said of programs like My Cause My Cleats. "If we want our game to continue to be on that track, that it's on being super successful and being a pillar in our community and being a thread in our community, we have to make sure our relationship as players and owners is good."

Marshall also commented on the Raiders' impending move to Las Vegas, calling the Nevada gambling mecca a "beautiful place." However, he cautioned that young players in the Raiders' locker room could become consumed by the city. 

"A lot of times when you think about Las Vegas, you just think about the strip, right? But I just want to make sure that the players are protected," Marshall said. "I think that it can be a tough place for a kid coming out of college, so that locker room has to be strong, because there is so much there. There is access to so much. It's a strip but it's really big and it can be overwhelming at times for young, immature players."

NFL owners ratified the Raiders' plan to move from Oakland to Las Vegas in a vote Monday.