Mahomes tells Peter King: "Obviously I love football, but I love trying to make the world a better place even more"
Thursday 20 August 2020 06:31, UK
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes says he will continue to use his platform to speak out against racism and social injustice, and is committed to taking action.
Ten days after George Floyd's death in May, NFL players - including Mahomes - came together for a powerful video encouraging the NFL to condemn racism and outwardly state that black lives matter.
In response to the video, commissioner Roger Goodell said "we were wrong" as the league supported the message from the players.
Speaking on the The Peter King Podcast this week, Super Bowl MVP Mahomes said the video created by the players was important to spark action.
"With everything that was happening with the George Floyd murder and everything like that, I think we knew that it was something we needed to do and say in order to get the response we wanted from the NFL," he said.
"And I think the video that we made really helped and activated the conversation to take the next step and take action.
"That's what you're seeing now, the action part of it that's coming from us."
The NFL committed $250m in June to "combat systemic racism and support the battle against the ongoing and historic injustices faced by African Americans".
Recently, Mahomes' Chiefs partnered with 'RISE to Vote,' an initiative which educates sportspeople in USA voter registration.
"We're trying to make sure we take action and not let this moment be forgotten," Mahomes said. "Football is obviously super important but helping out the world is more important and we are going to try and do that every single day."
The 24-year-old said he "couldn't even finish" the video of Floyd's death.
"I had to stop and shake my head and think about what I was seeing," he admitted. "And I think that's kind of how everybody was."
While the video created by the players in June ensured the conversation around racism continued, Mahomes wants to play his part in making sure it does not stop.
"Obviously I love football, but I love trying to make the world a better place even more," he said. "Growing up how I’ve grown up, and having a black dad and white mum, I never was treated any differently and I feel like no one should be treated any differently no matter where they come from.
"I know that with my platform, I have the ability to speak out and people will listen.
"People will at least listen to what I’m saying - they might not agree with it, but they are going to listen and having that platform, it’s my job, it’s my duty to do that and to speak up."
