Mike Vrabel: Common goal is inclusion, diversity, equality, opportunity

[T-Rac]

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The Titans’ statement didn’t say much earlier Tuesday. Coach Mike Vrabel said more later.

Vrabel started a Zoom session with beat reporters, making a statement before the defensive coaches talked.

He acknowledged a “social blind spot” after listening to Titans players the past two days.

“By listening and understanding those thoughts and feelings, how they feel, has helped me recognize I think what’s important, and what’s important is that we find ways to respect each other’s feelings, that we respect each other’s beliefs, that we respect each other’s efforts to make positive change in our community where we work, the communities where we live, the communities where we grew up,” Vrabel said. “Being an only child of a basketball coach, playing for the Ohio State Buckeyes, Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots and the Kansas City Chiefs afforded me a great luxury of seeing how successful locker rooms are built and managed. They’re built and managed on fair competition, love, loyalty, accountability, teamwork. What they’re not built on is race, creed, color or money. I would say that, in closing, leaders are prepared. Leaders take decisive action and inspire a group of people towards a common goal. That common goal is inclusion, diversity, equality, opportunity. So on behalf of the Tennessee Titans — our owner, our General Manager, the head football coach, our staff — we want to support and will help continue lead our players as we work toward that common goal.”

The Titans’ statement read simply: “We reject racism in every form and are committed to being part of the generation that ends it.”