49ers' Richard Sherman Doesn't See Player Strike as a Solution for Social Change

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman understands professional athletes who sat out games last month in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake by Kenosha police officer Rusten Sheskey, he's just not sure if NFL players attempting a work stoppage would change much when it comes to police brutality and systemic racism. 

Sherman was asked Thursday about players potentially missing games in protest this season and said he wasn't convinced of the tactic's benefits (via 95.7 The Game):

"In my personal opinion, I don't see how missing a football game is gonna keep police from killing black people, unarmed black people. I don't see that as the solution, honestly. I wish I had a solution. I wish there was something to say right now to stop it.

"I wish I could take those bullets out of the people who were killed. I wish George Floyd was still here. I wish we could go back and train those officers better. I wish we could do something different. But we can't. And I think that's where we need to find a better solution."

Sherman's comments appear more philosophical than anything else. 

Currently, there are no plans for players to opt out of games or launch a work stoppage altogether. Players from the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans have discussed staying inside of their locker rooms during the national anthem at Arrowhead Stadium when the season begins on Thursday, but their decision remains to be seen.

That doesn't mean there won't be any protests from NFL players, however. 

Sherman's former teammate, quarterback Russell Wilson, said he and the Seattle Seahawks would've joined in players sitting out following the shooting of Blake had the NFL season already been underway. Instead, numerous franchises across the league canceled practices the same week players from the NBA, WNBA, MLS, NHL and NBA opted not to play in protest. 

Here's how Wilson explained his thinking to 710 ESPN Seattle:

"Witnessing what happened to Jacob and all the things that have added up to this, it's devastating, it's truly devastating just to watch that. This isn't like this hasn't been going on for years, that's the scary part and the sad part. The difference now is we get to see it every day because of social media and phones and everything else.

"The world is truly seeing the ugliness of society at times, and what is really disappointing is just knowing that we as athletes try to make a difference, and sometimes people don't want to listen and don't want to recognize that that could have been us, that could be us. That's a real reality. Us as a team, the Seahawks, we're definitely discussing what do we do next, how do we make a change, how do we cause a movement and how do we make a difference? We're in the midst of that right now."

NFL reporter Jim Trotter tweeted Thursday that the likelihood of NFL players leading a protest similar to NBA players for social justice reasons "appears remote because, some believe, their voices are finally being heard by owners".

Trotter reported on Aug 28 "a few prominent Black players" told him they want to sit out games to promote change. 

If that is still the case, it doesn't appear Sherman will be joining them.