If Colin Kaepernick wants to join the Los Angeles Chargers, it will not be until next year at the earliest.

Kyle Juszczyk remembers the different feel when he took the field for the first time in the playoff rivalry between his San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers.

In many ways, Jim Brown used his platform as one of the greatest football players of all time to fight for people very much like him.

Bud Light may have fumbled its attempt to broaden its customer base by partnering with a transgender influencer.

The Los Angeles Rams are having a Super Bowl hangover unlike any other.

Two years after no team in the NFC East won more than seven games, all four have pulled off the trick with six weeks to go in the NFL's regular season.

Ron Rivera and Washington are making a habit of shocking undefeated teams.

The NFL’s overwhelming popularity just keeps on growing, no matter how many significant, unsavory off-field issues loom as its season enters its second half.

Patrick Mahomes threw for 424 yards and three touchdowns to rally Kansas City back from another double-digit deficit in the Chiefs’ 44-23 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

Rihanna is set to star in February’s Super Bowl halftime show.

Megan Rapinoe’s on-field role on the U.S. national team is changing as the team looks to qualify for the 2023 event.

The Las Vegas Raiders concluded organized team practices with all four quarterbacks on the roster participating but the buzz surrounding the franchise was about Colin Kaepernick, who has gotten a workout with the club.

Colin Kaepernick is getting his first chance to work out for an NFL team since last playing in the league in 2016 when he started kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality.

The U.S. women's national team's efforts to secure equitable pay finally came to fruition this week when the players reached a collective bargaining agreement with U.S. Soccer that gives them the same pay as their male counterparts.

Former pro hockey player Akim Aliu has a graphic novel in the works that tells his story and how he overcame racism and poverty.

Colin Kaepernick is seeking receivers to catch his passes and a team to sign him.

Around the world, athletes are throwing their support behind political and social causes, part of a wave of sports activism that has flourished in the years since former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began taking a knee during games to protest police brutality against Black people.

A thrilling late touchdown drive gave the Rams a 23-20 win over the Bengals to win the Super Bowl.

50 Cent knows how to make a surprise entrance.

The New York Police Department has recognized Frank Serpico's service and injury in the line of duty more than 50 years later with an official certificate and inscribed medal of honor.

Spike Lee will direct a multi-part documentary for ESPN on Colin Kaepernick that features extensive interviews with the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback and access to his personal archive.

Colin Kaepernick will release a series of books through the children’s publisher Scholastic, starting with a picture story scheduled for next year.

History dictates that it’s likely at least a couple of the five first-round quarterbacks won’t fulfill the hopes of the teams that drafted them.

Inspired by the racial justice protests of 2020, Jahm Najafi is ready to shed his normally low profile to make some headlines for his partnerships and philanthropy.

LOS ANGELES – U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and a Los Angeles-based political action committee have reached a settlement that bars the Georgia Republican from blocking anyone from her public Twitter account or other social media while she's in office. However, Greene was acidly critical of the settlement in a tweet. “Because of this PAC’s frivolous lawsuit against me, I’m not allowed to block people that threaten my life and my children’s lives every single day on social media," she tweeted. Although it wasn't her formal congressional Twitter account, MeidasTouch said Greene uses it as a “de facto" official account, sharing her positions and doing fundraising drives. U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, was sued in a similar case that she later settled.

TAMPA, Fla. – The many lessons learned from 2020 will be needed as the NFL moves forward, Commissioner Roger Goodell noted Thursday in his annual state of the league news conference ahead of the Super Bowl. “I know we have learned to work in a very difficult environment, and we will do it again. That is one of the things we learned ... hearing clubs and the NFLPA saying our relationship has never been stronger. He added the NFL will look into what changes from the pandemic season are worth keeping in a post-COVID-19 world. Goodell said team owner Daniel Snyder has begun to make changes and is welcoming the probe.

___2:30 p.m.Commissioner Roger Goodell says he wishes he knew the answer to what the 2021 season will look like. Ad___2:30 p.m.Commissioner Roger Goodell says former quarterback Colin Kaepernick deserves recognition and appreciation for bringing up issues of social justice and racism. ___2:30 p.m.Commissioner Roger Goodell says the NFL will look into what changes from the pandemic season are worth keeping in a post-COVID-19 world. ___2:25 p.m.NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says the league is not satisfied with only two minorities hired for seven head coach openings. ___2:20 p.m.Commissioner Roger Goodell says an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment in the Washington Football Team’s organization will be finished soon.

The Jacksonville Jaguars hired Trent Baalke as general manager Thursday, removing the interim tag from his title and pairing him with new coach Urban Meyer. Khan interviewed five minority candidates and Baalke for the team’s open GM job. Baalke spent a dozen years with the 49ers, half as GM. Before moving to Jacksonville, Baalke spent three years (2017-19) working as an operations consultant for the NFL. Adding to the appeal: Khan, a billionaire businessman, has shown a penchant for patience and a willingness to spend big.

That's changing now that Rapinoe has returned to the U.S. national team for its January training camp in Florida after sitting out most of last year. The last time Rapinoe played for the national team was on March 11, when she scored in a 3-1 SheBelieves Cup victory over Japan. The national team settled its dispute with the federation over unequal working conditions in December, leaving the pay dispute still unresolved. Rapinoe, 35, has scored 52 goals with 68 assists in 168 appearances with the national team since her first call-up in 2006. She scored on a penalty kick in the United States' victory over the Netherlands in the 2019 World Cup final.

The Browns not only snapped a 17-game skid at Heinz Field, they manhandled the mistake-prone archrival Steelers 48-37 Sunday night. After two postseason flops, Jackson was his usual dynamic and decisive self in leading the Ravens to a 20-13 wild-card victory at Tennessee. Browns 48, Steelers 37In their first playoff road victory since 1969, the Browns (12-5) overcame all sorts of problems and history. Baker Mayfield threw for three touchdowns and the Browns got their first playoff win in 26 years. While leading his new team, the Buccaneers (12-5), to their first playoff win since Tampa Bay won the 2002 championship, Brady extended his record for playoff victories to 31.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) celebrates after scoring a touchdown on a 48-yard run against the Tennessee Titans in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. At right is Titans cornerback Kristian Fulton (26). After the turnover, the Ravens came onto the field and started waving good-bye to the Titans — drawing a taunting penalty they didn't mind at all. The All-Pro ran all over the Ravens with 328 yards rushing combined in the past two meetings. “We won the division, hosted a home playoff game,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel said. The Titans finally stopped the Ravens' scoring spree at 17 when Gostkowski kicked a 25-yard field goal to start the fourth quarter, pulling within 17-13.

However, none was able to knock off the Chiefs in the final AP Pro32 poll of the 2020 regular season. The Buffalo Bills stayed at No. The teams split their two meetings in the regular season, but the Seahawks won the most recent matchup, in Week 16. The Baltimore Ravens, the third team from the AFC North to make the playoffs, stayed at No. 16 after topping Philadelphia in the last game of the regular season and was the lowest-ranked team to make the playoffs.

The NBA painted “Black Lives Matter” on the courts inside their Orlando, Florida, “bubble" and social justice messages were emblazoned on the backs of jerseys. Paul met with NBA players, and they decided awareness wasn’t enough anymore. “Black Lives Matter” also was featured prominently on the league’s courts. Wallace, the only full-time Black driver at the NASCAR national level, first began speaking out against racial injustice in America in the spring. His car featured a “Black Lives Matter” paint scheme.

“But I don’t have to agree with it.”And that’s absolutely fine, said Ish Smith, the Wizards guard who signed Pittman’s cap. “When I played, players and coaches were never — maybe not never; rarely — asked about politics and voting,” Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. It’s an environment that led Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal, Tennessee Titans linebacker Will Compton, NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace and others to proudly note they were voting for the first time. And led WNBA players Tamika Catchings and Chiney Ogwumike to sign up to be poll workers. And led Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Chris Paul to join nearly 2,500 people on a march to a voting site in North Carolina.

Free agent safety Eric Reid told The Associated Press he declined an offer to join Washington's practice squad, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Butch Dill, File)Free agent safety Eric Reid told The Associated Press he declined an offer to join Washington's practice squad. “I just don’t think playing on the practice squad is reflective or indicative of my career,” Reid said in a phone interview on Tuesday. He said he was told Washington wants to give Curl a shot at starting. “I'm just not in a place to play on the practice squad right now,” Reid said, adding that he texted Rivera to let him know his decision.

(AP Photo/John Froschauer)The Latest on Week 2 in the NFL (all times EDT):___8:55 p.m.Seattle safety Quandre Diggs was ejected late in the first quarter Sunday night for a helmet-to-helmet hit on New England’s N’Keal Harry. Multiple flags were thrown and after a few minutes of deliberation, referee Craig Wrolstad announced Diggs had been ejected. Watkins made an 11-yard catch to convert a third down when Desmond King started to bring him down and Denzel Perryman landed a helmet-to-helmet hit. San Francisco lost both defensive end Nick Bosa and defensive tackle Solomon Thomas to left knee injuries earlier in the game. Brady struggled in an 11-point loss to New Orleans in his first NFL game not in a New England Patriots uniform.

After about 15 seconds, they rose, trotted off the field, and the game proceeded as normal. So we’ll just stay inside until it’s time to play the game,” Miami players said in the video. Goodell posted a video in June conceding that the league had been late in acknowledging the problem. Since then, the league has taken visible steps like allowing racial justice messages in end zones and on helmets and T-shirts. Some team owners have pledged money toward social justice causes or offered their stadiums as polling places for the November election.

Members of the Washington Football Team and Philadelphia Eagles form an oval on the field before the start of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)The Latest on Week 1 in the NFL (all times EDT):___It’s here! The 2020 NFL season kicks off today with 14 games after a strange offseason in which teams learned their playbooks via videoconference and didn’t play any preseason games. The Washington players and members of the Philadelphia Eagles lined up together, forming an oval prior to their game. --Arnie Stapleton reporting from Denver..___More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Freeman is still unsigned as Week 1 of the NFL season begins. Several familiar names and players on roster bubbles took turns on the unemployment line with some finding new jobs. Adrian Peterson was cut last week by Washington, but quickly landed in Detroit. Here's a look at notable available players at each position:QUARTERBACKSBlake Bortles, Cody Kessler, DeShone Kizer, Trevor Siemian, Drew Stanton. WIDE RECEIVERSAntonio Brown, Dez Bryant, Mohamed Sanu, Hakeem Butler, Quincy Enunwa, Chester Rogers, Demaryius Thomas, Jermaine Kearse, Ryan Grant, Jordan Matthews, Laquon Treadwell.

And to some, the odds seem greater, this time, that what the athletes are calling for might actually come to pass. We get paid to go out there and play and do our job. All this stands in stark contrast from the predominant attitude of athletes during Jordan's prime an attitude Jordan himself embodied. Among the more than four dozen Black athletes who are part of the cause are Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes and Olympic champion sprinter Allyson Felix. Black athletes and celebrities have not been fully welding their power.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. Titans safety Kenny Vaccaro made clear he won't let the fight against racial injustice recede from the conversation even as Tennessee returned to practice Friday. I know for me, the next step is just taking action, getting in the communities, being a shining light and an example, Vaccaro said. Not just a black square that everybody in the world posted on Instagram and thought that meant something. Asked if sitting out a regular-season game has been discussed, Vaccaro said the Titans haven't planned that far ahead. Vaccaro also has talked with safety Kevin Byard about how children look up to athletes as heroes with few Martin Luther King Jrs.

Guys are sick and tired of being sick and tired, McDougald said Wednesday during a video conference call. Within the confines of the team's facility, McDougald is a respected pro football player whose main concern is stopping the offense. Guys are sick and tired of being sick and tired, McDougald said Wednesday during a video conference call. Or, the countless other Black men and women who have been victims of police brutality or social injustice. And Im going to deal with it for the rest of my life, and my kids are going to deal with it."

Anson Carter filled his time in pandemic isolation walking 11 miles a day, sometimes with his dogs, around his Atlanta neighborhood. To use a hockey term from his playing days, he kept his head on a swivel. I dont take it for granted.It's the sort of experience the 46-year-old TV analyst wants to explain to viewers. He'll get that chance beginning Tuesday, when NBC Sports launches a new Hockey Culture show spearheaded by Carter a 10-year NHL player to try to change the culture of hockey, one interview at a time.The initiative comes amid an awakening in hockey about systemic racism and its role in the majority white sport. The former right wing from Toronto considers his role an opportunity to put a voice to concerns about racism in hockey and the world.

FILE - In this Dec. 23, 2018, file photo, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) holds his hand to his heart during the national anthem before an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in New Orleans. The 41-year-old Brees, who is the NFL's all-time leader in yards passing, completions and touchdowns, is entering his 20th NFL season and 15th with the New Orleans Saints. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)NEW ORLEANS Saints quarterback Drew Brees says he'll remain standing for The Star Spangled Banner, but professed respect and support for those who protest racism and social injustice by kneeling during the national anthem. Brees faced a scathing backlash from several current and former Black teammates and other high-profile athletes such as LeBron James. Weve applied a lot of different techniques and a lot of training methods, Brees said.

San Francisco Giants' manager Gabe Kapler kneels during the national anthem prior to an exhibition baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Monday, July 20, 2020, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)OAKLAND, Calif. San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler and several of his players knelt during the national anthem before Monday night's exhibition game against the Oakland Athletics. Kapler, beginning his first season managing the Giants after two disappointing years guiding the Phillies, didn't discuss his plans to kneel in a pregame session with media members. Kapler has been outspoken about social injustice and racial issues and athletes' roles in helping spur positive change. Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started taking a knee during the national anthem in 2016 to protest racial inequality and police mistreatment of minorities. Former A's catcher Bruce Maxwell in 2017 became the first major leaguer to kneel for the anthem since Kaepernick began his silent protest.

Perhaps the biggest headlines Brady drew recently came when he defied players' union recommendations to cease informal practices with teammates as a coronavirus precaution. (Chris Urso/Tampa Bay Times via AP, File)In seven weeks, the NFL expects to kick off its 101st season with the Super Bowl champion Chiefs hosting Houston. Still set on conducting a somewhat normal training camp, though without any preseason games, and then opening the regular season on time, the NFL pushes onward. We could have a ton of social distance, more than we have with our football team, Chiefs coach Andy Reid says. Perhaps the biggest headlines Brady drew recently came when he defied players' union recommendations to cease informal practices with teammates as a coronavirus precaution.

The Giants were playing an exhibition game at Oakland on Monday night with no fans after a months-long delay caused by the coronavirus pandemic. It turned out Davis had all kinds of support on every side of him, including from first-year San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler, who also took a knee before the Giants' 6-2 victory. So did first base coach Antoan Richardson, while shortstop Brandon Crawford stood between Davis and Richardson with a hand on each man's shoulder. The 26-year-old Davis, who is Black, said it was a difficult decision to kneel given he is a rookie. Then Yastrzemski and Hunter Pence pulled him aside and assured the right fielder they would support him regardless.

(Joe Klamar/Pool via AP)SPIELBERG Standing on the podium to celebrate his latest win, Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton raised a clenched right fist and then delivered a message to his fellow drivers not to slow down in the fight against racism. On Sunday Hamilton and the other 19 F1 drivers wore black T-shirts with End Racism on them, as they had done at last weekend's season-opening Austrian GP. Williams and Hamilton have both referenced the Black Lives Matter movement, which Hamilton wore on the front of his T-shirt on Sunday. Hamilton attended a Black Lives Matter march in London and is setting up a commission to increase diversity in motorsport. Although he also praised F1 chairman Chase Carey and governing body FIA for donating money to help promote more equality and diversity in F1, Hamilton clearly feels there is still a long way to go.

Wary of the optics and the fallout, Bell, who is Black, heeded the advice of his girlfriend. (She told me) Youre going to make a lot more impact with your platform than going to this riot right now. Thats something that could change your career in a heartbeat.And not the kind of change the 27-year-old All-Star from Texas wants to impart. I feel like social justice is something that a lot of people are learning right now, Bell said. It's made going to work far easier than it might have been if he'd just silently seethed.

LOS ANGELES Colin Kaepernick is joining with Emmy-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay on a Netflix drama series about the teenage roots of the former NFL players activism. Colin in Black & White will examine Kaepernick's high school years to illuminate the experiences that shaped his advocacy, Netflix said Monday. Too often we see race and Black stories portrayed through a white lens, Kaepernick said in a statement. Writing by on the six-episode series was completed in May, the streaming service said. Kaepernick will appear as himself as the limited series' narrator, Netflix said.

(AP Photo/Don Ryan, File)Players for the Portland Thorns and the North Carolina Courage knelt during the national anthem Saturday when the National Women's Soccer League opened the Challenge Cup tournament in Utah. In addition to the anthem, the players knelt for a moment of silence before kickoff. The league said Friday that it would play the national anthem before the Challenge Cup games and that it would support the players in whatever they chose to do. The monthlong Challenge Cup opened Saturday with a pair of games at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah. Megan Rapinoe, who plays for OL Reign but opted out of the Challenge Cup, was criticized when she knelt at a NWSL game and a pair of national team games in 2016.

Kaepernick was a second-round draft pick in 2011 who the next year led the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl. The Chargers could explore bringing Kaepernick in for a workout depending on what happens during the preseason, Lynn said. Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said last week that he received a call from another team about Kaepernick. Carroll and the Seahawks brought Kaepernick in for a workout in 2017 and had another planned in 2018 but it was canceled. Lynn was the offensive coordinator for most of the 2016 season in Buffalo, where Taylor was his quarterback.

FILE - In this Dec. 12, 2018, file photo, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell speaks during a news conference in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)Roger Goodell would like to see Colin Kaepernick back in the NFL this season. The NFL commissioner said during ESPN's The Return of Sports special on Monday that he is encouraging teams to sign the 32-year old quarterback, who hasn't played the past three seasons. If he wants to resume his career in the NFL, then obviously its gonna take a team to make that decision. I hope were at a point now where everybodys committed to making long-term, sustainable change, Goodell said.

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson said he believes that players are kneeling to protest police brutality, not because they disrespect the flag. It has become clear that this policy was wrong and detracted from the important message of Black Lives Matter, the directors said. Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sparked the issue four years ago when he refused to stand during the national anthem because of his views on the countrys treatment of racial minorities. Kaepernick has not played since that season as no team has been willing to sign him. Trump has returned to the topic frequently over the years as he considers it politically beneficial, saying at one point that those players who dont stand for the national anthem should be fired.

(AP Photo/Gregory Payan, File)BALTIMORE Ravens linebacker Matthew Judon criticized the timing of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's assertion that the league believes black lives matter," saying Monday that the message should have been delivered long ago. In the wake of protests over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck, Goodell said on June 5, We, the National Football League, believe black lives matter. Its not when Roger Goodell said black lives matter that now everybody can say it," Judon said. I think we should have been questioning why Roger Goodell didnt say black lives matter when he was born, or when he became commissioner or when he was re-elected commissioner. Black lives should always matter.

U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone apologized Saturday for the federation's lack of leadership in the fight against racism as she addressed its decision to repeal a policy that required players to stand during the national anthem. We are committed to doing better to help fight racism and discrimination in all its forms, Parlow Cone said. It was the first board meeting Parlow Cone has led as president. The U.S. Womens National Team Players Association also called for an apology from U.S. Soccer and a plan to substantively address racial inequities. Rapinoe kneeled during the anthem at a pair of national team matches in 2016.

U.S. Soccer's board of directors has voted to repeal a 2017 policy that required national team players to stand during the national anthem, a rule adopted after Megan Rapinoe kneeled in support of Colin Kaepernick. The board made the decision during a conference call, U.S. Soccer announced Wednesday. The U.S. Soccer Athletes' Council, which includes current national team players Alex Morgan and Ali Krieger, as well as former players like Landon Donovan, called on U.S. Soccer to also apologize for the policy to foster a "positive relationship to exist going forward." The U.S. Women's National Team Players Association also called for an apology from U.S. Soccer and a plan to substantively address racial inequality. Rapinoe took a knee during the anthem at a pair of national team matches in 2016.

George Floyd was killed less than three miles from the stadium where the Minnesota Vikings play, so this global unrest over racial relations and justice hit awfully close to home for the team. (Brian Peterson/Star Tribune via AP)MINNEAPOLIS Eric Kendricks woke up distressed shortly after George Floyd was killed just a few miles from the stadium where the Minnesota Vikings play. Commissioner Roger Goodell issued an apology the day after for not listening earlier and encouraged players to speak up and peacefully protest. For the Vikings, like their fellow Twin Cities sports figures, the death of Floyd hit close to home. Timberwolves guard D'Angelo Russell marched with protesters in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, where the death of Breonna Taylor has also stirred uprising.

(AP Photo/Mark Zaleski, File)NFL players who want to kneel during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racism have far more support than Colin Kaepernick did four years ago. Lastly, some owners might still have an issue with it despite the leagues support of the players. Whatever our team ends up doing, were gonna support. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones strongly opposed kneeling when Kaepernick began the movement and he hasnt spoken on the issue. ... theyve all dealt with something at some point, whether its with the police or another interaction of just blatant racism, said Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

The NFL is committing $250 million over 10 years to social justice initiatives, targeting what it calls systemic racism and supporting the battle against the ongoing and historic injustices faced by African Americans.The league, which has raised $44 million in donations through its Inspire Change program, announced the additional $206 million commitment Thursday. Goodell admitted as much in his video, though never mentioning Kaepernick, who has not found an NFL job the last three seasons. Weve got 10 million kids going to schools with police officers in them and no social workers. With Big Brothers and Big Sisters, we fund a program to bridge the gap in communication and understanding, he said. "There are many such programs across the country that have started this work and are doing incredible work on the ground.

CHICAGO The U.S. women's national team wants the U.S. Soccer Federation to repeal the anthem policy it instituted after Megan Rapinoe started kneeling during the The Star-Spangled Banner.The U.S. women's team also wants the federation to state publicly that the policy was wrong and issue an apology to the team's black players and supporters. Rapinoe took a knee during the anthem at a pair of national team matches in 2016. She said she wanted to express solidarity with San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who silently took a knee during the national anthem before NFL games to raise awareness of police brutality and racial injustice. The U.S. Soccer Federation then approved a policy in February 2017 that stated players shall stand respectfully during national anthems. A message was left by the AP seeking comment from the federation.

FILE - In this April 15, 2018 file photo, Brittany and Drew Brees arrive at the 53rd annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. New Orleans Saints Quarterback Drew Brees has apologized for comments he made in an interview regarding his opposition to Colin Kaepernicks kneeling during the national anthem. His wife apologized on Saturday, June 6, 2020, as well, saying we are the problem. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)NEW ORLEANS New Orleans Saints Quarterback Drew Brees has apologized for comments he made in an interview regarding his opposition to Colin Kaepernicks kneeling during the national anthem. After the comments aired, the quarterback was criticized on social media by high-profile athletes, including LeBron James, and some of his teammates.

The governing body vowed to to do a better job of addressing racial injustice in the wake of George Floyd's death. Our country must do better.A black NASCAR official took a knee along pit road, mimicking a gesture used by protesters in tribute to former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The time is now to listen, to understand and to stand against racism and racial injustice, Phelps said. After Phelps spoke to the NASCAR drivers, they observed a 30-second moment of silence. ___Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at https://twitter.com/pnewberry1963 and find his work at https://apnews.com___More AP NASCAR: https://apnews.com/NASCAR and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

(Lars Baron, Pool via AP)BERLIN Germanys soccer league was marked by gestures against racism and support for the Black Lives Matter movement on Saturday as Bayern Munich took another step toward a record-extending eighth straight Bundesliga title. All of Borussia Dortmund and Hertha Berlins 22 outfield players took a knee in the center-circle together before the top tier's late game with no fans present. Bayern's players had Black Lives Matter printed on their armbands, partly covering sponsor Qatar Airways logo on the left arm. Robert Lewandowski scored Bayerns fourth to claim his 30th Bundesliga goal of the season, set up by Thomas Mller, who now has 20 assists. It also had to do without fans, as all Bundesliga games are being played without supporters amid strict hygiene measures against coronavirus.

Sept. 1, 2016 Kaepernick kneels before a road game against the Chargers and says he will donate $1 million to organizations supporting his aims. Sept. 12, 2016: Kaepernick and safety Eric Reid kneel before the 49ers home game against the Rams. Oct. 15, 2017 Kaepernick files a grievance against NFL team owners, citing collusion to keep him out of the league. Sept. 8, 2019: The third consecutive full opening day of an NFL season without Kaepernick. Feb. 13, 2020: Kaepernick announces he will write a memoir, though he still wants to play football.

FILE - In this Aug. 17, 2017, file photo, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell answers questions during a season ticket member fan forum before practice at the Cleveland Browns NFL football team's training camp facility in Berea, Ohio. Commissioner Roger Goodell gave the 32 clubs the go-ahead for limited reopenings as long as state and local municipalities allow them. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File)NEW YORK NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says the league was wrong for not listening to players fighting for racial equality and encourages them to peacefully protest. We, the National Football League, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. Without black players, there would be no National Football League.

FILE - In this Sept. 25, 2016, file photo, San Francisco 49ers' Colin Kaepernick kneels during the national anthem before an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)When Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem to take a stand against police brutality and racial injustice in 2016, he was mostly alone. Global opinion has shifted so much that more people are now vilifying those who attack Kaepernick or misrepresent his stance. I have had many people attempt to discourage our support of Colin, which is unthinkable to me. He is encouraged because more folks support Kaepernicks movement but realizes theres a long way to go.

I feel like, right now, my body and my mind, it's like Im going to war, Berry told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday. To Berry, the statement from the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee that the federation stands with those who demand equality was galling. It came less than a year after the USOPC put Berry on a 12-month probation for her gesture at the Pan-Am Games. The episode comes against the backdrop of the IOC statement earlier this year that reiterated rules forbidding the types of protests Berry made. Theyre going to fight until they cant fight anymore.

Ross Cameron, File)NEW ORLEANS NEW ORLEANS (AP) Drew Brees now realizes he'd fallen out of touch. In the wake of the police killing of George Floyd, Brees repeated his opposition to kneeling during the national anthem. The Saints, Brees included, chose to kneel moments before the anthem and then stand as it began. Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins called Brees part of the problem, in a video he posted on social media. Brees' track record may be one reason Carolina Panthers tight end Chris Manhertz, a former Brees teammate in New Orleans, echoed Davis' sentiments.

NEW ORLEANS Drew Brees was sharply criticized by fellow high-profile athletes, including some of his own teammates, on Wednesday after the Saints quarterback reiterated his opposition to kneeling during the national anthem. In an interview with Yahoo, Brees was asked to revisit former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick's 2016 protest of police brutality against minorities, in which Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem before games. I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States, Brees began, adding that the national anthem reminds him of his grandfathers, who served in the armed forces during World War II. Brees has said he supports those protesting police brutality but that he does not see the national anthem as the proper forum for that. In 2017, Brees participated with teammates who knelt before the national anthem, but then stood in unison when the anthem was played.

In this Monday, June 1, 2020 photo, Dnico Perry-Ellis leads a chant on Station Street in Pittsburgh, protesting the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. Dismayed by the death of Floyd and inspired by the actions of Colin Kaepernick, athletes from around the world have come together during one of the most politically charged periods in modern history. Soccer players may also take what has happened to Floyd more personally because of how often black players have been abused inside stadiums around Europe in recent years. Baer-Hoffman said the reaction of sports stars was a reflection of uncertain times around the world since the outbreak of the coronavirus. It scares you and forces you to think I think it stands for something much greater.

Black lives matter. At the same time, companies must consider whether it makes sense for them to weigh in, especially on an issue as sensitive as race. Media giant ViacomCBS tweeted Black Lives Matter. Expressing solidarity with the Black Lives Movement is the right message, but everyone is jumping in on that bandwagon, said Allen Adamson, co-founder and managing partner of Metaforce a marketing and product consultancy. Each of these black lives matter.

President Donald Trump leaves after speaking in the Rose Garden of the White House, Friday, May 29, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)WASHINGTON President Donald Trump has tried to walk back his post-midnight thugs tweet about Minneapolis protesters that added to outrage over the police killing of a black man. Trump, after hours of backlash, said Friday evening that he was unaware of the origins of the phrase. The White House, trying to skirt the blockage, reposted the message on its own official Twitter account Friday morning. Twitter quickly flagged that tweet, too, accusing the White House of promoting violence.

I feel very, very badly," Trump said Thursday of George Floyd's death while handcuffed and in the custody of Minneapolis police. But some activists doubt that Trump has suddenly evolved on the issue of police brutality and instead see election-year political calculations. Trump was very upset when he saw that video," White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Thursday. The White House and Department of Justice have long had the power to address these issues. Sharpton credited both the magnitude of outrage in response to Floyd's death as well as the upcoming election for the changed approach.

I feel very, very badly," Trump said Thursday of George Floyd's death while handcuffed and in the custody of police in Minneapolis. But some activists doubt that Trump has suddenly evolved on the issue of police brutality and instead see election year political calculations. Trump was very upset when he saw that video," White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Thursday. The White House and Department of Justice have long had the power to address these issues. Sharpton credited both the magnitude of outrage in response to Floyd's death as well as the election for the changed approach.