In February for Black History Month, USA TODAY Sports is publishing the series “28 Black Stories in 28 Days.” We examine the issues, challenges and opportunities Black athletes and sports officials continue to face after the nation’s reckoning on race following the murder of George Floyd in 2020. This is the third installment of the series.
Johnny Bright stood in a packed arena the night before that horrendous game, the football game where an attacker would come at him for no reason, far from the ball, and elbow his face with a force that shattered his jaw.