Washington Redskins head coach Ron Rivera recently called for the team to change its name after the national racism ruling put pressure on the franchise to act.
Rivera, who returned to Washington in January after being sacked by the Carolina Panthers, was interviewed Monday during an interview with the WSCR about his position on the Redskins’ rename, fearing he would discriminates against Native Americans.
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“It all depends on the time and the moment,” said Rivera. “But I’m just someone from a different time when football was not a big part of the political scene. It’s also one of the difficult things, that I always wanted to keep that separate.”
He continued, “People wanted me to play politics while I coach, and I keep telling them, ‘It’s not up to me to get on and influence people.’ I have my convictions, I know what I think, I support the movements, I support the players. I believe in what they do. There are certain elements in certain things. It all depends on the timing and the best time to discuss these things. “
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Protests after the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who was killed while detained by Minneapolis police last month, have renewed calls for Washington to change his name.
Rivera, who spent nine seasons with the Panthers before his layoff in December, said he plans to support his players who intend to kneel during the national anthem to protest police brutality and social injustice .
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Originally founded in 1932 as the Boston Braves, the Redskins changed their name several years later after moving to Washington.
There is no indication that owner Dan Snyder intends to change the team name.
