Seahawks WR D.K. Metcalf shares emotional message after George Floyd’s death, mass protests

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf shared an emotional message on Twitter on Saturday night in response to George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis on Monday and the mass protests and riots that have ensued across the country.

Metcalf said he felt compelled to speak out not only because the issue hit close to home, but because staying silent about it would be much worse.

“I watched the George Floyd video a couple days ago, and the one thing that kept sticking out to me was, I have family, friends, brothers that look like George Floyd,” Metcalf said. “To think being black in America can lead to that, it scares me. It breaks my heart that my uncles could go out into the world today and that could be them.

“I wanted to say something because if I didn’t, then I felt like I would be supporting it, and that’s not right. That’s totally not right.”

Metcalf is one of countless figures in the sports world to speak out after Floyd’s death and the video of his arrest went viral. That video showed a white Minneapolis police officer with his knee in Floyd’s neck for seven minutes while he yelled out, “I can’t breathe.” He later died in police custody.

That officer, Derek Chauvin, has since been arrested and is facing murder and manslaughter charges.

His death has sparked massive protests and riots in cities all across the country in recent days, some of which have been led by professional athletes, too.

“Black community, we just got to continue to fight and stick together man, because our ancestors have been through tough times and they taught us how to do it,” Metcalf said. “So let’s just continue to stick together.”

D.K. Metcalf of the Seattle Seahawks warms up before a playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on January 05, 2020, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
D.K. Metcalf of the Seattle Seahawks warms up before a playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on January 05, 2020, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Steven Ryan/Getty Images)

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