Like so many others, the players of the NFL are reeling at the death of Armaud Arbery. But this hits a little closer to the league than the usual outrage and disgust at another racially-fueled murder. This time, it’s directly impacted one of their own.
READ MORE: Black district attorney to take over Ahmaud Arbery case
Detroit Lions safety Tracy Walker is Arbery’s cousin. The two grew up playing football together in Brunswick, Ga. just 2 miles from the Satilla Shores neighborhood where Arbery was gunned down by two white men.
Walker told ESPN that his cousin, who was just a year older was known as a fun-loving guy who kept his teammates laughing. The two lived across the street from each other and played football together for the Brunswick Pirates in high school.
“He was a beautiful soul,” Walker said. “He wasn’t a hateful person. He was not. I can’t name one person he had a beef with growing up. Everybody loved Ahmaud because he was just a clown, a funny guy.”
Walker, who went on to play for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette before being drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2018 says he last saw his cousin just a few weeks before he was killed.
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Walker was home to watch the Super Bowl and he and Abrey went out for a drink. He said Arbery was his usual positive self.
“It gives me mixed emotions, and the reason why I say that is because it’s sad because that’s the last memory I have of him, but it’s a good memory because he was applauding me and was telling me to keep moving forward and keep doing me, you know what I’m saying,” Walker said. “Keep balling out on that field.”
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The NFL and other athletes wrote a joint letter to U.S Attorney General William Barr asking that the Abrey shooting be considered for a federal investigation. The NFL’s Player’s Coalition is led by former NFL star Anquan Boldin and New Orleans Saints Malcolm Jenkins, an outspoken activist also signed the letter along with Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, Julian Edelman, Stan Van Gundy, and numerous other current and former NFL players.
Ahmaud Arbery’s family deserves justice. Thank you for supporting:@CarrollCity @bigdavis813@ellerbe59 @scourtneypw @GloverWright @Shaynegraham17 @CaylinHauptmann @ChrisJohnson28 @WillJohnson_6 @MikeSimsWalker @AkeemSpence pic.twitter.com/edbru1Hrm2
— PlayersCoalition (@playercoalition) May 11, 2020
The Player’s Coalition was founded in response to the blowback from Colin Kaepernick‘s anthem protests, which led to the former NFL quarterback’s de facto banishment from the league. The Coalition ultimately won some concessions with the NFL’s commitment to the Inspire Change campaign.
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