Giants Owners Take Part in Virtual Meeting With Players on Racial Injustice

The New York Giants repurposed their Friday team meeting into a discussion forum about police brutality and racial injustice following the May 25 killing of George Floyd and subsequent nationwide protests.

"The meeting did not only include [head coach Joe] Judge and his players," the New York Post's Paul Schwartz wrote Saturday. "Co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch participated, The Post has learned, for the purpose of listening and understanding the issues being discussed, and the thoughts and emotions of those logging into the meeting remotely from all over the country."

Schwartz added: "This was not the first time Judge and his players talked about these issues. Judge had discussions with players all week and called a meeting Friday to specifically share his thoughts and hear what his players are thinking and feeling. Mara and Tisch listened in."

Floyd was a 46-year-old unarmed black man who died in Minneapolis police custody. Since-fired officer Derek Chauvin knelt on the back of Floyd's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds. Floyd was shortly thereafter pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter May 29, while the other three officers involved in Floyd's arrest remained uncharged. However, Chauvin's charge was expanded to second-degree murder at the same time his three colleagues were formally charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter:

The Giants released a statement June 2:

Giants players, such as running back Saquon Barkley and safety Jabrill Peppers, have used their individual platforms to speak out:

Barkley was also part of a video organized by New Orleans Saints All-Pro wide receiver Michael Thomas demanding a stronger statement from the NFL:

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell responded one day later with a video showing him saying what the players asked.