Dabo Swinney's Excuse for Staying Silent on George Floyd Death for So Long Doesn't Add Up

While an exceptional football coach, Clemson's Dabo Swinney sticks his foot in his mouth as much as or more than any other Power 5 head coach in the country. After some disrespectful behavior in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic that involved a trip to Florida, Swinney now took days to respond to the death of George Floyd, which caused major protests around the country.

Swinney's justification for his silence makes no sense, as he claims he didn't want to be 'first' to make a public statement on the matter.

#Clemson coach Dabo Swinney on remaining mum on #GeorgeFloyd until Monday: “There was nobody on the team who wanted me to say something; they all know I’m gonna say something. It’s not about trying to speak first. I spent the last week listening.” pic.twitter.com/SwYEU5ER29
— Scott Keepfer (@ScottKeepfer) June 1, 2020

Has this guy turned on the TV in the last week?

Not only would speaking out first on the matter be a positive, as it shows that Swinney isn't going to just step in line behind other bolder, more outspoken coaches, but his assertion that he didn't want to speak first is a complete falsehood. Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley, a contemporary of Swinney, posted a very emotional statement on Twitter a few days ago, calling for change and standing behind his players.

I ALWAYS stand with my players and I am thankful that I was raised in a home that taught me that no human, regardless of race, religion,
or any other factor...should ever be treated differently...we have a long ways to go as a society- I am committed to being a part of the change
— Lincoln Riley (@LincolnRiley) May 31, 2020

Swinney should be commended for eventually speaking out about the divisive times we find ourselves in, but his excuse for taking so long falls flat.