Let’s Get Political
NFL players openly enter political arena
By: The Football Girl
If you think the football season is long, just take a look at the political season. Usually those two are completely separate entities; with most players acting like political activism comes with an automatic ACL injury. Not so this year. The Obama effect, as we’ll call it, had players speaking up from coast to coast and you even get the sense they voted! Was this election an anomaly, or is the modern athlete more politically and socially aware? Regardless of future candidates, let us surely hope the answer is the latter.
When pondering the influence these players may have had, let us examine some hard facts: 1) Most NFL players are African American. *Approximately 67% this year 2) The NFL is objectively the most popular sport in the country for all demographics 3) While there is no definitive number yet, the African American vote increased in 2008, although it remains a much smaller piece of the overall AA pie than the white vote.
The question is how much influence can football players, and athletes in general, have? It seems the best indication would lie somewhere between Zogby and Rasmussen polls. In any event, it was good to hear athletes not shy away from politics, and I hope that trend continues even when the candidates revert back to boring, old white men.
* Let’s see how long Daunte Culpepper stays on a roster
Here is a sampling of NFLers who have openly supported Obama:
- Reggie Bush, Saints RB
- Brian Dawkins, Eagles CB
- Tony Dungy, Colts Head Coach
- Donnie Edwards, Chiefs LB
- Herm Edwards, Chiefs Head Coach
- Scott Fujita, Saints LB
- Dhani Jones, Bengals LB
- Brandon Marshall, Broncos WR
- Donovan McNabb, Eagles QB
- Terrell Owens, Cowboys WR
- Joey Porter, Dolphins LB
- Dan Rooney, Steelers Owner
- Emmitt Smith, Cowboys Legend
- Lovie Smith, Bears Head Coach
- Hines Ward, Steelers WR
We even found a smattering of McCain supporters:
- Jared Allen, Vikings DE
- John Elway, Broncos Legend
- Jerry Jones, Cowboys Owner
- Cory Proctor, Cowboys OG
- Brady Quinn, Browns QB
- Roger Staubach, Cowboys Legend
