Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Matthew Judon criticized the timing of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s recent support for the Black Lives Matter movement, saying his comments were long overdue.
“It’s not when Roger Goodell came out and said black lives matter, now everybody can say it,” Judon said Monday during a video conference with reporters. “I think we should have been questioning why Roger Goodell didn’t say black lives matter when he was born, or when he became commissioner or when he was reelected commissioner. … It’s not cool that Roger Goodell said it. He should’ve been saying it.”
On June 5, Goodell said in a video that the NFL erred in how it dealt with NFL player protests of police brutality and systematic racism over the past few years.
Judon has been one of the most active Ravens in the community with regard to social injustice. He has spoken to politicians about criminal justice reform and he has met with law enforcement officials.
“I’m with all the protests that we have to do and all the progress that we have to make,” Judon said. “I’m with of that, but it’s not because Roger Goodell said, ‘Black lives matter.'”
Judon added, “We’re all here for a common goal, and it’s usually to win football games. But right now, it’s bigger than football.”
In 2017, Judon was among the Ravens who knelt before Baltimore’s game in London, which was a response to President Donald Trump’s criticism of players who protested during the national anthem.
Judon expressed frustration regarding the response to Colin Kaepernick, who knelt during the anthem to protest racial inequality in 2016. Kaepernick hasn’t played in the NFL since.
“There shouldn’t have been pushback,” Judon said. “It should have been like, ‘OK, let’s help this man in his cause.’ That was just his way of expressing it.”
During his 25-minute conference call with reporters, Judon expressed more concern about social injustice than his contract status. Judon, who was given the franchise tag this offseason, has until the NFL deadline of July 15 to come to a long-term deal. If not, Judon would become the first Ravens player since Terrell Suggs in 2008 to play an entire season under the tag, earning $16.8 million this season.
Judon, 27, reached the first Pro Bowl of his four-year career after leading the Ravens with a personal-best 9.5 sacks and recording the fourth-most quarterback hits in the NFL with 33.
He said he’s “pleased” with the tag before showing that he was wearing his Ravens shorts during the interview.
“We’ll see how it goes,” Judon said. “I’m happy to be a Raven. I want to stay here as long as I can play.”