OPINION: The Deafening Silence of the NFL, Their Players, and Domestic Violence

“Chad Wheeler, former offensive tackle for the Seattle Seahawks, beats his girlfriend to the point that he’s surprised to see her alive.” Unfortunately, these days, this type of headline isn’t shocking. It is almost commonplace within the professional football community, but the NFL doesn’t seem to care. One in every three women and one in every four men will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime. Even with the knowledge of these statistics, they have made the poor decision to skim over this topic time and time again rather than use their platform for good. If this type of violence is happening amongst those in the very public eye, such as professional athletes and celebrities, imagine what happens behind closed doors in our communities.