Richard Sherman Calls Out Jerry Jones by Name for Not Speaking Out Against Racism

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman has long been one of the NFL more unreserved players as it pertains to speaking out against its off-field controversies. Now, he's using his platform to communicate his feelings about racial injustice.

In the wake of commissioner Roger Goodell's statement about supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and player protests during the National Anthem, Sherman took aim at league owners -- and specifically Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones -- for choosing to remain silent for so long.

Calling out Jones by name isn't an accident. After all, the 77-year-old billionaire is one of the most hands-on owners in the NFL, as he's also the team's general manager and president, and often finds himself behind a microphone or in front of a camera. Now, while the country is begging for individuals with his sort of influence to step up and voice their active opposition to racism and police brutality, Jones has done anything but lead.

The Cowboys owner's silence forces us to reference the 2016 season, when he and his son, Cowboys executive vice president and CEO Stephen Jones, instructed players on the team to stand during the National Anthem or risk being cut. This came when Colin Kaepernick's peaceful protest first started sweeping the nation, and Jones' position was not far from that of just about any other owner.

Sherman calling out Jones comes a few days after former Dallas wide receiver Dez Bryant called upon him to join the peaceful protests in Austin, Texas. Jones hasn't formally gotten back to the former Pro Bowler as of this writing.

The "if you're silent, you're compliant" mantra is all the rage these days, and for good reason. With that in mind, Jones refusing to speak out is not only terrible optics for the Cowboys, but it contradicts what Goodell preached in his own statement.