The Arizona Cardinals canceled football activities on Thursday, as officials in all major leagues grapple with their responses to the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Cardinals Coach Kliff Kingsbury told reporters the decision was made after consulting with owners and management.
"You know, what happened to Jacob Blake was horrendous and it has to stop," Kingsbury said. "And I know it sounds hollow at times, because you hear the same things over and over, but we wanted to make sure our players know that we support them and we're here for them in any way we can be.
The announcement followed reports of a team meeting Thursday morning.
Cardinals running back Kenyan Drake tweeted that players will use the day off to reflect and educate themselves. He also encouraged people to register to vote.
We have the day off today to educate and reflect on who we are as individuals and where we need to progress as people. Honored to be in an organization of men and women who lead the charge for change in this country.
— Kenyan Drake™ (@KDx32) August 27, 2020
The team is scheduled to resume normal activities on Friday.
