Steven Nelson (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
Steven Nelson doesn’t think fondly of his time as a Kansas City Chief.
The George Floyd protests are giving NFL fans a glimpse into the lives of black players, and the harsh realities they face on a daily basis. While some white Americans are unwilling to come to terms with this, predominantly black players continue to provide compelling evidence suggesting their league, like most organizations in the United States, face the same racial inequalities that those protesting are trying to bring to light.
In a conversation between Tyrann Mathieu and former Bronco Brandon Marshall, in which the now-Chiefs DB stated he regretted not kneeling with the 30-year-old free agent in 2016, Steven Nelson chimed in, going as far as calling Kansas City racist.
Former Chiefs CB Steven Nelson levies serious racial allegations at KC fans.
Nelson was drafted by the Chiefs in the third round of the NFL Draft back in 2015 and played four seasons in Kansas City before signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers last offseason. In a quick back-and-forth Twitter conversation in Mathieu’s thread, he revealed his thoughts on Kansas City’s attitude towards black players.
The 27-year-old was a bargain buy for Pittsburgh in the 2019 offseason, signing on a three-year, $25.5 million deal. His negotiations with the Chiefs largely went nowhere, which is what he’s referencing in said tweet. With fans interjecting their opinions into his negotiations, some went as far as to assume Nelson was all about the money, yet signing with a perennial contender in Pittsburgh suggests the opposite.
Nelson also points out the clouded history some Chiefs fans had with former KC lockdown corner Marcus Peters, who took a knee during the National Anthem as well.
Whether Chiefs fans choose to believe Nelson or not is out of our hands, but his comments do point out the obvious trials and tribulations black athletes continue to go through in the NFL, especially those who dare to use their voice for social change.