Bucs' Arians calls for action: 'Protesting doesn't do crap'

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians believes every team and player has a responsibility to take action aiming for social change, but he doesn't think protesting is the most effective way to do it.

"I think your responsibility is to take action. I don't know if protest is an action," Arians said Thursday, according to James Palmer of NFL Network. "I think each guy has a personal thing. I would beg (them) to take action. Find a cause and either support it financially or do something to change the situation. Because protesting doesn't do crap in my opinion. I've been seeing it since 1968."

Players from the Milwaukee Bucks decided not to play Game 5 of their first-round series against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The NBA ended up postponing all of its scheduled playoff matchups Wednesday as a result. The MLB also postponed three games Wednesday after the Milwaukee Brewers opted not to play their contest against the Cincinnati Reds.

The demonstrations expanded to the WNBA and MLS, as both leagues tabled games due to player protests.

On Thursday, several NFL teams - including the Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, and New York Jets - canceled practices to discuss social injustice. The Detroit Lions were the first NFL club to demand change by postponing activities on Tuesday.

Cleveland sports teams announced Thursday the formation of a sports alliance to develop strategies addressing social injustice within the city and all Northeast Ohio communities.

Arians, 67, previously mentioned incidents from 1968 when addressing the killing of George Floyd.

"We would have hoped as a nation to have grown since 1968. I think we have, but not enough, obviously," he said in June.