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The Washington Football Team is lucky to have Ron Rivera as their head coach in 2020. There are always off the field stories that come out during the offseason(and the season to be honest), but 2020 has been a constant stream of WTFs for the WFT.
The team postponed their planned scrimmage at FedEx Field today, and instead held a meeting with the players(and another one with employees on the business side of the organization) to discuss racism and social injustice. The police shooting of Jacob Blake has incited new riots, and led to games being cancelled in almost all of the major sports over the last few days. Rivera encouraged players to come up with a cause that is unique to them.
Rivera didn’t used to think that players should speak out on social issues, and politics, but it is a different time now, and players voices carry weight. Eric Reid helped change his perspective when he was signed in Carolina, and Rivera’s opinion has been evolving as he did more research into the various issues today.
Training Camp Press Conference - Head Coach Ron Rivera https://t.co/ptjcWBekqY
— Washington Football Team (@WashingtonNFL) August 27, 2020
Postponed practice:
Ron Rivera is addressing the media. He said the team created a forum for their players to speak up instead of having practice. They gave the players the rest of the day off to reflect.
— Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) August 27, 2020
Ron Rivera: In lieu of the tragic shooting of Jacob Blake we decided not to have practice and not to have walk through. We decided to have a conversation and give the players the day off to reflect
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) August 27, 2020
Coach Ron Rivera said that the team didn't have a conversation about attending Friday's March on Washington. He said the meeting went well. There was anger disappointment in today's talk. They've given them time off to process everything.
— Rhiannon Walker (@InstantRHIplay) August 27, 2020
Rivera: "[The players] don't want to just see this go away. ... There was a great little quote that we used: 'When the water's boiling, don't turn off the heat.'"
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) August 27, 2020
Supporting causes:
Ron Rivera said he challenged the players to find one specific cause the team can make its own, and pledged the organization's support. pic.twitter.com/54txaGTrvR
— michael phillips (@michaelpRTD) August 27, 2020
Coach Ron Rivera said that he and team president Jason Wright had a conversation and took their plan to owner Dan Snyder, who provided his support to them. He asked players to think of causes they can support.
— Rhiannon Walker (@InstantRHIplay) August 27, 2020
Rivera said the players were challenged to come up with a cause to support. "We can support a lot of different things, but something that's truly ours would be a neat way to handle it." They met for an hour-and-a-half.
— Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) August 27, 2020
The players were challenged to come with a cause, a plan moving forward. There are lots of angles, but Rivera said the idea of pushing for one path where they can make an impact.
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) August 27, 2020
Newest allegations against the WFT:
Ron Rivera on the most recent allegations of the Washington Football Team as reported by the Washington Post yesterday: pic.twitter.com/cZqNH50qH6
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) August 27, 2020
Rivera adds that many things happened in Washington before he arrived, before Julie Donaldson and Jason Wright arrived, and the team is trying to move forward in a better light
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) August 27, 2020
Rivera was asked about the new harassment allegations. He cited the investigation and said he would let it happen, but then emphasizes the direction he wants the team to go.
— Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) August 27, 2020
Dan Snyder’s statement vs the WFT’s statement:
Asked about these dueling and conflicting statements, Rivera differentiated as one was personal and was from the team. https://t.co/mMoSfQWTTz
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) August 27, 2020
Ron Rivera on the WFT's separate statements in response to @washingtonpost's report: "I think the first one was obviously a personal message, and the second one was from the team. ... Mr. Snyder put one out as a personal note, and then he had us do one as a team."
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) August 27, 2020
Rescheduling FedEx Field scrimmage:
Rivera said the team will hold a practice at FedExField, but when tbd. Needs to happen to help logistics and operational staff.
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) August 27, 2020
Politics in sports:
Perhaps the most interesting thing Ron Rivera said - there was a time when sports and politics didnt mix, but that's over now.
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) August 27, 2020
Rivera: "We have a platform now." He says when he was a player, he didn't think about using his voice to speak out about political issues. He then mentions Doc Rivers and the power of his comments.
— Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) August 27, 2020
Rivera said he's had a change of heart of the years in regard to players using their voice and platform to effect change. "Why not? Why shouldn't we use it? Why shouldn't we do it the right way?"
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) August 27, 2020
"But now, because so much is being put on professional athletes, the expectation is not just being an athlete, it's being a trendsetter, an icon. With social media, you tweet something and it's a trend....It's proven now that they have that type of ability to make that impact."
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) August 27, 2020
Eric Reid:
Ron Rivera talked about the impact @E_Reid35 had on him in Carolina and ... just read this. It's tremendous: pic.twitter.com/6q4hBWBueZ
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) August 27, 2020
He and Eric had some tremendous conversations throughout the final year or so of RR’s time in Carolina and whenever football fans said “RR can’t change” I think, “where it counts, he did.”
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) August 27, 2020
Difference in fears when getting pulled over:
Coach Ron Rivera said one of the most poignant moments during today's meeting was a white player recalling being pulled over and the one thing he was worried about was having his license, and seeing the dichotomy for what Black players fear when they're pulled over.
— Rhiannon Walker (@InstantRHIplay) August 27, 2020
Stephanie Rivera:
Not to get lost, coach Ron Rivera cited his wife, Stephanie, as one of the main people that he talks to and uses as a sounding board. She's been in the sports world, too, and her insight is invaluable to him as he navigates this.
— Rhiannon Walker (@InstantRHIplay) August 27, 2020
NBA strike:
Ron Rivera says the NBA protest, and the statement by Doc Rivers, inspired him. pic.twitter.com/mdsKdtNzTV
— michael phillips (@michaelpRTD) August 27, 2020
Ron Rivera on NBA players boycotting: "I was one of those guys back in the day where you didn't use your sports platform for that. ... Now these guys know they have a platform, and for them to do something that powerful ... it says a lot."
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) August 27, 2020