We were outraged. We're surrounded by an unemployment situation. What's happening with housing, in the voting situation? Player Team Age Total Value Avg./Year Total Guaranteed Fully Guaranteed Free Agency; Kyle Juszczyk: 49ers: 30: $21,000,000: $5,250,000: $9,750,000: $7,000,000: 2021 UFA "It also helped some of my colleagues, a lot of our Caucasian colleagues to get up-to-speed on what's going on and to have these uncomfortable conversations. He's such a smart mind and him and Saleh are very similar in that way where they're both really smart and know exactly what they want. Black History Month Panel: Anthony Barr, Steve Jordan & Andre Patterson Share Perspectives, Steve Jordan's Ring of Honor Jacket Ceremony. "I think those types of discussions were unbelievable because it broke down barriers. Pillars would not exist today if Black history wasn't the foundation for a lot of things. "I will never forget those people, because it is on their backs that we stand, and the people before them who gave their lives.". For me, every single day I'm trying to keep my shoulders pinned forward and lead our young people. 'Oh, wow, now I remember,' so the thing is we have to understand our history and certain things, but as a result of what happened with George, that was a confluence of a lot of things happening. They also included a panel discussion for students who are participating in the 306 African American History Course that is a partnership between the Vikings and EVERFI. However, my home state of Texas was still fully segregated. 'This doesn't happen in Minnesota.' Midround picks such as Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw have flourished under Ryans' guidance. There was one for white women, there was one for white men, and the third sign was always marked 'Colored.' Abdullah, a running back and key special teams player, joined the Vikings in November 2018. Richardson: "With George Floyd, I commend the Wilf family … we actually jumped on a call and talked about it. The efforts included discussions for public consumption like Warren Moon's recent appearance on the Minnesota Vikings Podcast to describe what it was like to break barriers as a Black quarterback. On its face, you think, 'Well, voter identification, that's really race-neutral.' McDaniel has long been one of Shanahan's closest coaching confidants, as he began his career as an intern with the Denver Broncos under Mike Shanahan. If history is going to continue to repeat itself, we have to continue to have these types of forums and talk. We really have to look at the big picture, and it all starts with education. Page, who was elected to become the first Black member of the Minnesota Supreme Court in 1992, explained the importance of voting and protecting everyone's right to vote. Jordan, a 2019 Vikings Ring of Honor inductee, spent his entire career with the team from 1982-94. In addition to that, I think pro athletes … you have to understand the issues. We talk about the pandemic … anything in American life … it always comes up that people of color, poor people, we're always bringing up the rear. "So I owe them so much for just the opportunities that they've given me the past four years. I told him that I went to college [about 45] minutes from there. But driving through New York City, every single time I drive through the Midtown Tunnel, I get pulled over.' My dad always said not to reach for anything. It's today. "He started as an LB coach the same year I came in as a rookie, and the progress you've seen me make is a direct reflection of the type of coach and person that he is," Warner said. In Texas in those days, we had state-mandated, separate water fountains. Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer joined Good Morning Football on Friday and was asked about his quarterback, Kirk Cousins. ", Privacy Policy and Safety Information / Your California Privacy Rights. Listing all of the 2021 NFL free agents and free agent contracts of the Minnesota Vikings. My two roommates were white students on swimming scholarships. "[Voter identification requirements are] just another vehicle under the guise of preventing voter fraud, which by every measure that I've seen, every objective measure that I've seen, is maybe not nonexistent but as close to it as we can probably get," Page said. They are integrated in a way that you can't bifurcate it. "I want to connect that to history. "There are those that might argue that the ballot doesn't always work. We talk about redlining, people were like, 'Not in Minnesota.' Those are some of my experiences, and I appreciate the NFL giving our platforms to share our stories. The 49ers have promoted Mike McDaniel to offensive coordinator and DeMeco Ryans to defensive coordinator after Robert Saleh was hired as coach of … The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. The panel was moderated by Trevian White, a partnership activation coordinator with the Vikings, and Owner/President Mark Wilf welcomed the panelists. Because it also has a tendency to repeat itself …, "A lot of times I talk to some of my colleagues, and certainly the Millennials, et cetera, and they look at it and say, 'Hey, that was hundreds of years ago that all this stuff happened.' We go through Black History Month, and it's very important for us to touch on the history that has existed. I've carried that with me through my entire life.". Some of the conversations weren't pleasant. That moves them, and I think allyship as we spoke to, is definitely at a different place now, and using that to the best of our ability is the most important thing. I've learned so much from him and continue to learn so much, and I think that's the key to being a great coach.". I think the NFL is Black history, and I think our influence in the NFL has put us in a place where you can't have the NFL without Black men. He mentioned being 18 years old in June 1964 when he watched reports of the slayings of Civil Rights activists James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner in Philadelphia, Mississippi, as well as the murder of Viola Liuzzo in Selma, Alabama, the following year. To me, the most important platform you have to think about and work at is the education part. One of the things my Caucasian colleagues would say is, 'I can't believe this is happening in Minnesota. "At the time of Dr. King's visit [when I was a] sophomore, I was living in a fully integrated MSU environment. They're not pleasant all the time, and obviously, being from different backgrounds, how you perceive the truth is going to be completely different. "It's a matter of time before DeMeco will be a head coach.". Take that same energy you have honoring that and put it toward solutions. But the solution steps aren't always there, and I think there's where we're moving as a society right now with conversations like this and giving people that background of what has happened and how we can be more solution-based because we see a lot of systems that are corrupt. Under the watchful eyes of the police and the white community, the Black men and Black women were always forced to share that one 'Colored' restroom. "We talk about the importance of voting, these people gave the last full measure so that we could have the opportunity to participate," Page said. "That's my focus … on solution steps and honoring where we have been and what has been established. With the 49ers, McDaniel has helped design and implement a run game that's been among the best in the league over the past two seasons. You throw out the name Philando Castille, same thing. My family and my loved ones were still living under Texas segregation. They didn't quite understand the things we go through, even as a professional athlete. ", "I think Kyle and Mike McDaniel have just done such a great job of finding the best way to put me out there on the field and put me in situations to succeed," Juszczyk said on Jan. 4. "It meant a lot to me to see Dr. King speak and to hear him talk, and I was really impressed with the turnout of the students – the whole university showed tremendous support. . He said, 'Did you experience racism when you were at Auburn?' Neither side is necessarily wrong. The fact is, it may be race-neutral, but it has a disparate impact, and that disparate impact denies people the right to exercise their franchise.". I shouldn't be afraid to have a nice car because I'm afraid I'm going to get pulled over all the time. Corporate America, for example … it would be nice to have opportunities as vice presidents and presidents and running companies. "Obviously I'm growing up in an integrated time period … Kyle Rudolph, Kirk Cousins, the want-to understand is there when I'm talking about my Caucasian counterparts in the locker room. Alan Page, a member of the Vikings Ring of Honor, Pro Football Hall of Fame and retired Minnesota Supreme Court Justice, participated in a "History of Voting" panel earlier this month as part of the EVERFI Character Playbook series. As players we were like, 'Should we not play or should we play?' It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Redlining started in Minnesota back in the early 1900s, so yes, we're absolutely guilty. I said, 'Yeah. You say that every winter. Larry Csonka, a classic 6-3, 235-pound line-smashing fullback, provided the major rushing thrust in the Miami Dolphins' vaunted ball-control offense when the team was dominating the National Football League in the early 1970s. The officer said my window tint was too dark but it was factory window tint. Contracts Salary Cap Table Salaries by Year Positional Spending Draft 2021 Free Agents Sort free agents by team or position Die Minnesota Vikings sind eine American-Football-Mannschaft der US-amerikanischen Profiliga National Football League (NFL) aus Minneapolis.Sie gehören gemeinsam mit den Chicago Bears, den Detroit Lions und den Green Bay Packers der Northern Division innerhalb der National Football Conference (NFC) an. It's not a mystery why he was so successful in the NFL. Shanahan is expected to retain playcalling duties on game day, but McDaniel figures to retain a prominent role in game planning and play design, along with other responsibilities. ", Jordan and Richardson on being impacted by George Floyd's death in Minneapolis. "He's so passionate about what he does. He's an amazing teacher. He congratulated McDaniel via social media Monday, writing that he was "So deserving of this promotion!! Page said protection of voting rights is so important to him because so many sacrifices that have occurred to grant and protect them. InsideTheVikings is a Sports Illustrated channel featuring Will Ragatz to bring you the latest News, Highlights, Analysis, Draft, Free Agency surrounding the Minnesota Vikings. Ernie Nevers : Pos: FB, Career: 54 G, 301 Pts, 7 FGM, Cardinals/Eskimos 1926-1931, born MN 1902, died 1976 I love having these conversations because everyone gets an opportunity to be educated.". We understood it was bigger because if we didn't play, those people would win. With LaFleur headed to the Jets, the 49ers had hoped to keep at least one of Shanahan's top offensive assistants in place. For now, Ryans is a defensive coordinator, representing a quick rise through the ranks after a successful 10-year NFL career as a linebacker for the Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles. View images as Vikings legends gathered at Steve Jordans Ring of Honor Ceremony. That's a special thing to honor. When I look back, even in my time in Minneapolis, I met a number of just wonderful, wonderful, hardworking people, but at the same time, there is a lot of this embedded racism, systemic racism. "For me, it's about having a voice and giving yourself control over what government is, what it does, what it says, because the reality is government's actions, they do it in our name, and the only way we can control that is to exercise our Constitutional right to participate in that process," Page said. That's exactly what the Vikings and the Social Justice Committee have been focused on. Warner earned his first All-Pro and Pro Bowl nods in 2020, crediting Ryans with helping him along the way. SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The San Francisco 49ers said goodbye to two of their top assistants last week but are keeping two more with a couple of in-house promotions that had been in the works for a while. They didn't realize the things I have to deal with. Vikings Legends Provide Staff with Insights for Black History Month ... a fullback, played for Minnesota from 2006-07. It brings up this concept of allyship. "It's only a matter of time before DeMeco is a coordinator in this league," Shanahan said. "Because we're not playing. Just having a conversation in 2020, it's opened eyes for everyone. What are we not learning from history? When I told the young person that, he was absolutely blown away. ", Jordan on understanding the importance of Black History Month, "Black history is American history. No, no. That's the only way this cycle is going to change. I said, 'Look, I drive a pretty decent car. Both moves had been expected since Saleh was announced as Jets head coach last week. Tom Rathman: Pos: RB, Career: 131 G, 34 TD, 2020 Yds, 3.7 Y/A, 49ers/Raiders 1986-1994, born NE 1962 With former defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and passing game coordinator Mike LaFleur headed to the New York Jets as head coach and offensive coordinator, respectively, the Niners elevated inside linebackers coach DeMeco Ryans to replace Saleh as defensive coordinator, with run game coordinator Mike McDaniel taking over LaFleur's duties in a consolidated position as offensive coordinator. Page said after those efforts had been ruled unconstitutional, efforts shifted toward creating other policies that could disenfranchise people. Well, it doesn't always get you what you want, but when the choice is effectively between the ballot and the bullet if we're going to be a civilization, we have to exercise the power that we have, and that power is in casting our vote, having our voice heard, having our leaders do what we seek as opposed to doing what they choose. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in March, has repeatedly credited McDaniel with his creative run play designs as well as finding unique ways to utilize him in the offense. We were talking through looking at different displays and readings, and one of the young men asked me, 'Where's Montgomery, [Alabama]?' It was one of those things where there was nothing we could do because of freedom of speech. When [Floyd's death] happened, my neighbors on each side of me asked if we could go up on the roof and just have a conversation. The Vikings have celebrated Black History Month with insightful and educational opportunities that have featured Legends, current players and staff members. "We had a conversation about, even though I'm a former professional athlete, we deal with these issues every single day. Well, it was this cold last winter. The want-to understand the history, the want-to understand why some people may agree with rioting and some people may not … things that have happened that were breaking points in African American history, which is American history, that have put our community and Black people as a whole in a certain energy and frequency, I would say, to get certain reactions after things like George Floyd. We lived together, studied together and supported each other in our sports. Black history is American history. Washington on hearing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., speak in February of 1965 at Michigan State. Former NFL fullback Michael Robinson asked Cook about his hurry to get back in the gym and back to training before this year's Super Bowl is even in the rear-view mirror. "One of the things, I think about 'Minnesota Nice' is the phrase that's often used, and when George Floyd's murder occurred, one of the things it did do was open some people's eyes. McDaniel had drawn interest from the Miami Dolphins for their offensive coordinator job, but the Niners promoted McDaniel in order to keep him as Shanahan's primary offensive sounding board. Well, I've got to remind you that this has happened probably three or four times in the last five years. Over the past three seasons, Ryans has quickly won over his players with an approach they say is similar to Saleh's in terms of his measured, thoughtful communication skills mixed with a fiery and passionate personality on game days. It broke down walls within the locker room that really helped us and some of our success last season because of that camaraderie we had built as teammates. And while we have been segregated, we have been under those offices going back to the 1600s, but the good news is we really do need to understand our history. The Niners are sixth in the NFL in rushing yards and tied for third in rushing touchdowns over the past two years. Her call was of great interest to the Hall because at the time it was widely believed that Jesse Rodriguez, a fullback-punter with the 1929 Buffalo Bisons, was the first Hispanic player in NFL history. There has been a … He described the way that poll taxes and literacy tests were "used to deny people who were poor with a disproportionate impact on African Americans" and deny rights that had eventually been granted through amendments to the U.S Constitution. Richardson on experiencing racism at Auburn University in the early 1990s, "So I guess two years ago, we took a group of young students from the Minnesota area to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. And busses and trains, state laws required that [Black people could only sit the back] behind the 'Colored Only' sign. The players span decades of connections to the organization. And all Texas sports, Black and white athletes could not play together as teammates – or even play against each other as competitors. Frankly, COVID was happening, so we didn't have all of the distractions of other major sports going on. I felt so proud for my MSU family and how nice it was at MSU with our family-friendly integration. You have reached a degraded version of ESPN.com because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Ryans retired in 2015, joining Shanahan's staff in 2017 as a defensive quality control coach before moving up to inside linebackers coach in 2018. It's kind of like every winter, folks in Minnesota say, 'I don't remember it being this cold.' In addition, I remember there were always three restroom signs. "I think that's encouraging for a young athlete who is still in the league today, but the conversations are still very tense at times, so, luckily, I am part of an organization like the Vikings where they handpick their players exactly like they are from the top down where they are authentic people, so in our locker room, we do have a lot of authentic people you can have these conversations with, but I'm not sure it's the same across the board in the NFL. And we have to be cognizant and understand it so that we can be prepared to deal with it.". Jordan: "I will share with you that while our American history has a checkered past, there has been progress made, and one of the things I look at is the concept of allies and allyship, so I appreciate the Vikings for stepping up and having these types of conversations for Vikings staff to be involved in.