Op Ed: How the Legendary Dick Gregory Inspired My Personal NFL Boycott

First things first, we lost a civil rights icon, a legend, a true leader and the voice of a generation when Dick Gregory died recently. There will never be another. #RIP

If you know anything about Dick Gregory, you know he was passionate and spoke with cold hard facts, truth & conviction. You couldn’t hear him speak and then go on about your daily routine. His words carried weight and impact.

When first confronted with the idea of boycotting the NFL, like any other football fan speaking realistically, I did not like the idea. I love sports. Fall and winter Sundays from September through the Super Bowl are spent in front of the TV watching NFL games. Also, as a journalist who began his career in sports in 2010, I have covered many New York Jets games at MetLife Stadium.

I could continue to nitpick and make excuses on why I would not boycott, or blackout the NFL, but the answer in my spirit and at my core was pretty obvious: I would stand in solidarity with my NFL-loving brothers and sisters and boycott the league as a show of strength.  Hell, as a man who grew up a Jets fan, I know we are going to suck anyway.

Dick Gregory says football is slavery. #LightbulbMoment

Then Dick Gregory passed August 19th. That Sunday morning, while scrolling through Instagram, words from his son Christian spoke to me in a way that no others had regarding the boycott.

"Consider some slight discomfort to make life a little better as we pay tribute to a lifelong crusader."

Boycotting is all about a level of discomfort. I can not boycott the NHL because I do not watch hockey and there is no sacrifice, no level of discomfort. Not watching the NFL is more than a slight discomfort for me. It will disrupt how my Sundays have been spent for decades. But it is a level of discomfort I must endure. King Dick Gregory would have wanted it that way.

So in solidarity with my NFL-loving brothers and sisters around the country, for Colin Kaepernick, Michael Bennett, Marshawn Lynch and other current or former NFL players who have protested, in the spirit of Dick Gregory and most importantly for the voices of Eric Garner, Mike Brown, and all young unarmed men of color who have been murdered by law enforcement, I will not watch NFL football this season.

Furthermore, I will not discuss it on social media and will find a not-for-profit to donate a portion of my new-found Sunday time to.

There is one asterisk: I enjoy telling the stories of athletes, particularly those of color, doing great things in our communities. There aren't enough voices showcasing the support many athletes offer, through a professional league or their charities. My voice will not be silenced on such matters.

If enough voices resist the NFL, it will have a financial impact. Furthermore, our combined efforts within our communities with our new-found time on Sundays will be impactful.

Perhaps your discomfort isn't giving up the NFL. Challenge yourself to find your "slight discomfort" to make someone else's life better. If not for Dick Gregory, Michael Brown, Eric Garner. Colin Kaepernick...find someone to do it for. Be inspired. Be fearless. Be bold. Your unique voice is a one-of-a-kind gift. Let the world hear it.

"There is a profound amount of ugly in this world today. Consider some slight discomfort to make life a little better as we pay tribute to a lifelong crusader." -Christian Gregory/son of Dick Gregory.

Derrel Jazz Johnson is a contributing writer for Rock You. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

Derrel Jazz Johnson is a Harlem-based sports and entertainment journalist.  Since entering the industry in 2010, he has covered President Barack Obama, Beyoncé, Floyd Mayweather, and LeBron James, has landed one-on-one interviews with Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Mary J. Blige, Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union, and continues to pursue interviews and write about the world's biggest names in sports and entertainment.