MINNEAPOLIS — Eric Kendricks woke up distressed shortly after George Floyd was killed just a few miles from the stadium where the Minnesota Vikings play.
Kendricks, the All-Pro inside linebacker who has mostly stayed out of the spotlight during his first five seasons in the NFL, was "super emotional" enough that he took to his Twitter account to call out the league for what he and many of his peers saw as inaction on social justice issues.
A few days later, Kendricks participated in a video compiled by several high-profile players voicing concern about what they felt has been suppression from the league since quarterback Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem before games in 2016.