Page 43 - Florida Sentinel 5-21-21

Sports
NFL Accused Of 'Systemic Racism' In Handling Black
Bucs Rookie
Ex-Players' Brain Injuries
Already Impressing
The NFL is coming under growing pressure from critics who say its landmark con- cussion settlement treats ex- players differently based on race, making it more difficult for Black retirees to get pay- outs.
Critics argue the settle- ment amounts to a form of systemic racism because it uses race-based criteria for neuropsychologists to assess whether Black and white for- mer players have valid de- mentia-related claims stemming from their profes- sional football careers.
The concept of using dif- ferent statistical curves based
crimination.
Attorney Christopher
Seeger, who negotiated the settlement on behalf of roughly 20,000 ex-players in the class-action suit, now also faces mounting criti- cism.
A petition signed online by more than 50,000 people will be presented on Friday to U.S. District Judge Anita Brody, who presided over the settlement. It asks that Brody, who chose Seeger as lead counsel for the class of NFL retirees, select a new attorney to represent the for- mer players, about 70 per- cent of whom are Black.
Kelvin Benjamin Looking To Revive Career At New Position With Giants
KELVIN BENJAMIN
The New York Giants are officially giving Kelvin Ben- jamin a chance to prove he can still play in the NFL, but the former wide receiver will be lining up at a new spot on the field.
Benjamin has agreed to a deal with the Giants, accord- ing to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media. The plan is for Ben- jamin to play tight end.
Giants general manager Dave Gettleman drafted Benjamin in the first round with the Carolina Panthers back in 2014. The former Florida State star had over 1,000 yards receiving as a rookie, but he tore his ACL in training camp the following year. Benjamin was plagued by weight and work ethic con- cerns after that. He also had some spats with teammates.
Bruce Arians
on race, known as “race- norming,” is inherently con- troversial. It is also the subject of a lawsuit by two ex-players, Kevin Henry, a lineman for eight seasons in the NFL, and Najeh Daven- port, a running back for seven seasons, who sued the league last year for race dis-
When the Buccaneers drafted Florida quarterback Kyle Trask in the second round of the 2021 draft, it was a safe bet to assume he would be the eventual re- placement to quarterback Tom Brady. When that will be is anyone’s guess. But while that may be true, Tampa Bay drafted him for more than just being the guy that takes over when the fu- ture Hall of Famer decides to hang it up.
Trask’s ability to read opposing defenses pre and post snap along with making an accurate throw to the right receiver caught the Bucs attention while scout- ing him. That same skill was on display during the first day of rookie minicamp Fri- day and head coach Bruce Arians liked what he saw.
“Just the way he processes information. To take it from the first time ever hearing it – he was throwing it to the right guy,”
KYLE TRASK AND BRUCE ARIANS
Arians said. “There were some really good, disguised coverages that he saw the first day of his career, so I was really impressed with how he processes informa- tion, and he was very accu- rate.”
To change things up a bit, Arians vows to make sure Trask doesn’t get too comfortable. The rest of camp, the rookie quarter- back will have some differ- ent looks thrown his way to truly test his abilities.
Quarterback Kyle Trask
Ex-GM Explains Why
Having Tim Tebow
On Roster Could
Crush Jaguars
Urban Meyer has de- cided to give Tim Tebow a chance to revive his NFL ca- reer after nearly a decade away from football.
Most people agree that Tebow has virtually no chance of contributing as a tight end with the Jack- sonville Jaguars. But if Tebow is simply included on the final roster, one former NFL executive thinks Urban Meyer will be making a mammoth mistake.
Former New York Jets and Miami Dolphins general manager and executive VP of football operations Mike Tannenbaum said on ESPN’s “Get Up!” this week that Meyer is going to have a tough time facing players in the locker room if Tebow is on the Week 1 roster.
“If Tim Tebow’s on the opening day roster, it will eviscerate Urban Meyer’s credibility. Houston, Indi- anapolis and Tennessee are praying that Tim Tebow
TIM TEBOW
makes the Jacksonville Jaguars. If that organization is run based on relationships, they have no chance to win,” Tannenbaum said. “This is about Trevor Lawrence and trying to do everything you can to make him success- ful — not trying to turn a 34- year-old Tim Tebow into a tight end.
“If he makes this team, it’s gonna really hurt Urban’s ability to stand up in front of the team and say, ‘Hey, how you play matters.’ It simply won’t. It’ll be based on a relationship.”
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