ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WIVB) – Many NFL players are speaking out about the racial and social injustice in our country and now the Bills are putting those words into action.
During training camp, some players mentioned how as a team they were looking to use their platform to not only bring awareness to the racial and social injustice but ultimately make a difference.
Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes along with a few other players led an initiative for week one to provide students and teachers in the city of Buffalo with internet services they don’t otherwise have access to.
“As a team we talked about one thing that was on our minds we noticed that the kids here especially in the city of Buffalo do not have internet and the school year is getting ready to start soon so we decided week one to pull together some of our funds as long as our owner decided to contribute as well and we were gonna go out and get those I think it as 4,500 teachers and students who don’t have internet. I think it was something where we were able to get on to the zoom with Mayor Brown and he expressed some of his interest in the city of Buffalo because I think for us as a team we’re looking anyway that we can to help out,” Hughes said on a zoom call with reporters.
“I think what Colin Kaepernick started was great to bring awareness to the fact that African Americans are still getting treated unjustly by the police here in America so I think for us with this team we’re trying to think of solutions, what can we do as the Buffalo Bills to help not only just low income families but people who look like us, look like me who are part of this systematic racism that just needs some help,” Hughes explained.
“Jerry was one of the guys who did a great job helping coordinate that along with Harrison Phillips and a few others so I think it’s a great initiative by the players and the Bills organization overall, just appreciate that it was well thought out. It means a lot obviously and there’s certainly a lot of people out there that we can improve their situation and we’re gonna start doing things to the best of our ability or continuing to do things in the local community in Buffalo here,” head coach Sean McDermott said on a zoom call with reporters.
The last time we talked to Hughes, he had some very powerful, insightful words on what black men and women deal with in this country and ways people can come together to stop racial injustice.
“We felt like the one thing we could do is help with the education process so helping those kids with internet for this school year is something that’s been big, been on a lot of guys’ hearts so we’re excited for week one to come around so we can contribute to that.”
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