The presence of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the video calling on the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell to denounce racism and apologize to players for a lack of support for peaceful protests reportedly played a big role in the swiftness of the league office.
“Let’s put it this way: The second I saw him in that video, I knew Roger had to act quickly. Everyone, including all the owners, knows he’s the guy," an NFL executive told Jason Reid of The Undefeated.
Mahomes was among several players who said they would "not be silenced" by the league in a video that included Odell Beckham, Saquon Barkley, Michael Thomas, Ezekiel Elliott and a number of other stars:
"We will not be silenced.