The commissioner of the NFL said on the weekend there "remains an urgent need for action" in the United States to mend the racial divide following George Floyd's death.
Roger Goodell wrote on Twitter, "We recognize the power of our platform in communities and as part of the fabric of American society."
From New York to Los Angeles and several cities in between, thousands protested Floyd's death and repeated police killings of black men.
Floyd was a handcuffed black man who died Monday after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes. Officer Derek Chauvin is charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Floyd's death and the ensuing protests have prompted many sports figures to speak out in recent days.
The league was a flashpoint for protests several years ago regarding police violence when Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during national anthems before games.
NFL union leader DeMaurice Smith also wrote a letter to players and told them they should be empowered to speak up about Floyd's death saying, "It impossible to not to take this personally. We should take this personally."
with files from Canadian Press