Goodell, Baldwin co-sign letter to Congress supporting sentencing reform
A letter released by NFL Communications and co-signed by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin offers full support for the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2017.
Seahawks WR Doug Baldwin Jr. and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell send this letter to Senate Judiciary Committee: pic.twitter.com/CkfZdlYqzm
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 17, 2017
The bill seeks to improve public safety, increase rehabilitation, and strengthen families - issues that many players have worked to raise awareness for over the last two seasons.
The letter was addressed to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, Minority Whip Richard Durbin, Senator Mike Lee, and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse.
"We want to add our voice to the broad and bipartisan coalition of business leaders, law enforcement officials, veterans groups, civil rights organizations, conservative thought leaders, and faith-based organizations that have been working for five years to enact the changes called for in this comprehensive legislation," the letter reads.
The letter also highlights the community efforts of various NFL owners and players, including Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and Eagles players Malcolm Jenkins, Torrey Smith, Chris Long, and Rodney McLeod, who organized a "Listen and Learn" tour last month with Philadelphia's police commissioner and community organizations.
Miami Dolphins players Kenny Stills, Julius Thomas, and Michael Thomas have also organized ride-alongs with police officers to gain appreciation for the challenges they face on duty.
"We are very proud of our players and owners who have done the hard work over the past year to listen, understand, and attempt to address the underlying issues within out communities," the letter adds. "The bottom line is, that we all want to make out communities better. As Doug (Baldwin) stated in a recent memo to owners, this is about "doing the right thing for the right reason ... love and empathy are more important attributes than a forty time or route-running ability ... yearning for justice and equality is something that all humankind can understand."