Sheldon Richardson was one of the most outspoken athletes on the situation in Ferguson, Mo. Now he’s tackling the NYPD shootings.
"Innocent blood was spilled. I’m not with that at all," Richardson said to reporters in reference to the Saturday slaying of NYPD officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu.
"That’s not the message I’m trying to get across. It’s sad. It’s real sad that two officers lost their lives and can’t go home to their families. … I never wanted that to happen at all. No police officer deserves to die. It’s just tough, especially doing the job."
Richardson, a second-year defensive tackle out of Missouri, made his opinion known on Twitter when Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson wasn’t indicted for the shooting of Michael Brown. His reaction made it seem as if he was anti-cop, but he has since clarified his comments while standing by his opinion.
After Sunday’s 17-16 loss to the Patriots, Richardson said he supports peaceful protest, which should not include violence toward police, according to the New York Post.
Richardson’s teammate, Nick Mangold, offered his support for the fallen officers by wearing an NYPD hat to MetLife Stadium before Sunday’s game.