Carson Wentz and Zach Ertz Make Powerful Statements About George Floyd and Minneapolis Violence

The coronavirus pandemic has taken a bit of a backseat at the moment, as the nation is currently watching the aftermath of the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American who died in the custody of four Minneapolis police officers. Athletes of color have understandably spoken out against this latest tragedy, but they've implored their white counterparts to not stand back in silence, too.

Philadelphia Eagles stars Carson Wentz and tight end Zach Ertz stepped forward and posted powerful messages on Thursday to speak out against institutional racism in the United States.

Wentz brings up that he will never know what African Americans go through in this country -- that includes his teammates and every applicable man, woman, and child. Wentz says that all human lives should be valued equally by police, regardless of skin tone, and it saddens him to see how there's such division.

As a white quarterback in the NFL, Wentz had the presence of mind to release this lengthy statement to show that he won't sit back and ignore the problem.

His tight end stepped up, too, as he often does.

Just like Wentz, Ertz expressed his sorrow to the African American community. Ertz says that we as humans are all supposed to be created equal, but says the "system has perpetuated lies" about that. The tight end goes onto say that he and his wife, United States women's soccer star Julie Ertz, are willing to learn about these issues and find a way to help out.

Many clamor for their athletes to "stick to sports," but that's part of the problem. Having white football players speak out against racism during this time of unrest is a welcome sight. Bravo to Wentz and Ertz for raising their voices.