Wearing a Detroit Lions shirt with "I can't breathe" written on the front, running back Reggie Bush runs through pre-game warmups in an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Detroit, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2014.Rick Osentoski/The Associated Press
A week after their "Hands Up, Don't Shoot!" show of solidarity, several St. Louis Rams players made another societal statement Sunday with the message: "I Can't Breathe."
The slogan refers to Eric Garner, who died after a New York police officer placed him in a chokehold during an arrest for selling loose cigarettes. A grand jury decided last week that it would not indict the officer. A video of the arrest showed Garner gasping, "I can't breathe."
Guard Davin Joseph wrote the words on the cleats he wore during pregame warmups before the Rams beat the Washington Redskins 24-0. Tight end Jared Cook had it written on his wrist tape during the game, and he said receiver Kenny Britt and two or three other offensive players did the same.
"I feel like we should support what we feel is right," said Joseph, who intended to wear the cleats during the game but had to change because of the condition of the slick turf at the Redskins' stadium. "We should always have an opinion of sticking up for people who don't have a voice."
Joseph Tweeted an image of his shoes before the game with the message: "R.I.P. Eric Garner."
Players at other NFL games expressed similar sentiments. Detroit Lions running back Reggie Bush had "I Can't Breathe" written in black across his blue warmup shirt. Browns cornerback Johnson Bademosi wrote the message on the back of the shirt he wore before a game in Cleveland.
On Saturday night, Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose wore the message on his T-shirt during warmups before an NBA game.
The decision not to indict the officer came after another grand jury decided not to indict police officer Darren Wilson over the Aug. 9 shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Last week, before a Rams home game, five St. Louis players — including Cook and Britt — took the field making the "Hands up. Don't Shoot!" gesture associated with Brown. The St. Louis Police Officers Association expressed outrage and called for the NFL to discipline the players; the league declined.
Although Garner's death occurred far from St. Louis, Joseph felt the need to make his feelings known.
"In that case, it's another incident where it's a sad case and it's sad to see," Joseph said. "Every life in this world is worth something, and when you lose one, it hurts, no matter who it is. We have to stand for the value of life."
Added Cook: "It's something that's important to a lot of people."