Clemson’s Dabo Swinney backs ‘positive change against racism and police brutality’
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney on Monday affirmed his commitment and his stance against racism and social injustice.
“Been a lot of words spoken this week — some helpful, some hurtful, and I wanted to take a second to address some of that,” Swinney said in a video statement released by the school. “This is a historic time in our world and in our country. As a coach and as a team we will do our part to create positive change against racism, of any kind, social injustice and police brutality.”
Swinney spoke with reporters a week earlier in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minnesota. Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes.
Those comments a week ago, where Swinney spoke largely about forgiveness and faith, drew more criticism than praise nationally.
More from his statement Monday:
“I always have believed that actions are a lot louder than words, and I love our team for the actions that they have already taken with a great town hall meeting, lots of communication in our position meetings. We had a wonderful senior meeting last week with just great discussion and just awesome to see and hear our young men speak and just wonderful brotherly love.
We’ve got a team meeting coming up and many other things, so I’m proud of the action guys have already taken.
We’re just a football program and I’m just a football coach, but Clemson has been a leader on and off the field for the past decade, and we will continue to be a leader and a light for many. We are a unified football team and we will work to unify others by how we serve, by how we play the game and by how we do our jobs as a staff.
We have always had great leadership within our program and, man, this team is no different. It has been incredible to see this brilliant group of young people lead right now, and [I’m] so proud of them. This group of leaders on this team, they are ready to lead the way to being a part of the solution for this country.
I stand with my players and I will help them any way I can to unify people and help create positive change.”
This story was originally published June 8, 2020 at 6:11 PM with the headline "Clemson’s Dabo Swinney backs ‘positive change against racism and police brutality’."
