Pittsburgh Players Hold 'Steelers Against Racism' Banner Before Opener vs. Giants

The Pittsburgh Steelers showed their support for the fight against racism prior to Monday's game against the New York Giants. 

As Steelers writer Teresa Varley shared, members of the team stood next to each other while holding a large banner that said "Steelers Against Racism" with the hometowns of the players listed on the ends:

On the ESPN broadcast, Chris Fowler said Pittsburgh decided as a team to "stand as one," while the Giants elected to let individual players decide what they will do during the anthem, with approximately one-third of them choosing to protest police brutality and systemic racism by kneeling.

Pittsburgh's gesture comes a day after former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick tweeted, "While the NFL runs propaganda about how they care about Black Life, they are still actively blackballing Eric Reid for fighting for the Black community. Eric set 2 franchise records last year, and is one of the best defensive players in the league."

Reid was teammates with Kaepernick on the 49ers and was the first player to join the quarterback in protesting systemic racism and police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem.

While he is 28 years old and posted 130 tackles, four sacks, six passes defended, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble during the 2019 season for the Carolina Panthers, Reid is still not on an NFL team for the 2020 campaign.

As for the "propaganda" Kaepernick mentioned, the Steelers' sign comes in a Week 1 that has seen the NFL write messages such as "It Takes All of Us" and "End Racism" in the end zones. Some players have also worn decals honoring victims of racial injustice as well.

Many players have also knelt during the national anthem. 

"Our guys will be supported provided they are thoughtful about how they choose to express themselves and they do so with class," Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin said of his team's gesture on the Steelers Radio Network. "I am proud to lead them, and I am proud to call them the Pittsburgh Steelers with the thoughtfulness and approach they have taken to their participation in these opportunities in 2020."