Patrick Mahomes Spoke With Roger Goodell in Latest Leadership Move Amid National Protests

Patrick Mahomes has become one of the faces of the NFL at the young age of 24. He led the Kansas City Chiefs to a Super Bowl victory in February, taking home game MVP honors and converting new fans all around the football world.

That is why it was so important for him to take part in the recent video released by a handful of star NFL players demanding a greater commitment by the NFL to racial justice. Mahomes showing up in the video meant the league's biggest star had chosen a side -- the right side. League commissioner Roger Goodell responded with a video of his own, and both individuals reportedly spoke about making real, lasting changes.

The NFL totally botched the situation surrounding Colin Kaepernick and his peaceful protests. Blackballing him from the from the league solved nothing. This renewed dialog has some long-delayed frankness to it for a change.

And it's about time.

Banning protests in 2020 will not be possible with so many players speaking out about changes that must be made at long last. Mahomes getting in Goodell's ear about these unavoidable topics should give the commissioner a wake-up call and help him explain to the owners he represents that they can't continue to downplay the issues of racial oppression and police brutality and brush them aside.