Kenny Stills – September 6, 2018
Download PDF version
Thursday, September 6, 2018
WR Kenny Stills
(With you, WR Jakeem Grant, and WR Albert Wilson, what challenges can your speed present to opposing defenses?) – “I’m not into predicting any type of damage that we can do. We’ll have to wait until Sunday, but we’re excited about the guys that we have. We know that we can go out there and make plays. We can’t wait to get out there on Sunday.”
(You had a pretty good season with QB Jay Cutler last year, how good could it be with a healthy QB Ryan Tannehill?) – “We’ve seen what we’re capable of doing when Ryan is back there at quarterback. Just like what I just said, we can’t wait to get out there on Sunday and play and have four quarters to have an opportunity to go out there and win a game.”
(Do you like the balance at running back with RB Kenyan Drake, RB Frank Gore and rookie RB Kalen Ballage?) – “Yes. I read something about Frank being close to being in the top three (all-time leading rushers), right?”
(Four, 75 yards.) – “It’s fun for us being the receiving corps and priding ourselves in our blocking, to get out there and be a part of that – to be a part of history. We know that whoever is in the game behind Ryan (Tannehill), he has an opportunity to make big plays and change the game for us. It will be a fun season for us.”
(You’ve been one of the individuals who’ve knelt since the whole QB Colin Kaepernick situation began in 2016. What does it mean to you to have a major corporation stand up and support him?) – “Yes. I’m like the last one standing from that group that started. It’s incredible to see what they are doing. I’m really taken back by that commercial and I’m excited to see … I heard that they’re going to be putting out some apparel. It means a bunch to see where all of this is and how it’s changed. I can remember the type of things people were saying to me and sending me initially when the protest started. Then you see this, Nike, a global corporation, a global organization, a global company putting this type of messaging out and really starting to understand what the protest was about. I don’t have any type of contract or anything with them. I don’t work with them, but growing up as a kid, I remember the ‘Just Do It’ slogan, campaign. A part of that made me a fan of Nike. This campaign coming back with what they are doing with Serena (Williams) and ‘Kap’ (Colin Kaepernick) has made me a fan of them again.”
(What do you think is the reason that most people who don’t support the protest, what is the misconception they have?) “A lot of … From my understanding, from what I’m reading and seeing, is now just personally attacking ‘Kap’ (Colin Kaepernick). Whether they didn’t like a shirt that he wore or socks that he wore or something about him as an individual, I think that’s a lot of what I’m seeing now. I think a lot of people are coming around and starting to understand the protest. If they don’t, there’s a ton of information out there to go out and read. I think these conversations are happening and people are a little bit more receptive to having these conversations, but it seems like now they’re looking to personally attack somebody and not understanding that people aren’t perfect. If you look into the mirror, you understand that you’ve made mistakes in some of the things you’ve done in your time in your life. Yes, I think they’re just kind of personally attacking Kaepernick now.”
(Do you understand why the issue has been so divisive in this country?) – “I understand how it can be divisive if you’re not willing to have a conversation and listen. A lot of times when you’re having a conversation, you’re listening to respond instead of to hear what they are saying, comprehend it and then have a response. To continue to say people are being disrespectful when we’re telling you that it’s a sign of respect, then what? At that point, it’s just an opinion and we’re just going back and forth. What you’re saying is it’s disrespectful and I’m saying I’m being respectful. At some point in time, we have to be able to come to a common ground and understand that at the end of the day, I feel like the protest is about making this country a better place, making the world a better place and you can either be for or against that.”
(Do you feel that Nike’s indorsement will help the player activism?) – “I don’t know. I don’t know. It seems the other side of celebrities, I guess – actors, actresses, musicians – they’ve all supported Colin (Kaepernick) and I’ve seen a lot more support from that side. I don’t really know how it will affect athletes and guys in the NFL. I’m really encouraged by it. It brought a smile to my face. It was probably just the fact that in the beginning when they even just put the first messaging out and then getting to the commercial, those are things that really brightens people day in a time when there aren’t many things to be happy about.”
(It seems like it’s been two years since this begin, since Colin Kaepernick began this. Where do you think we’ve come and where do you think we still have to go?) – “I think we’ve come a long ways; but I definitely feel like we have a way to go. I see this, like I’ve said before, about how I feel like the NFL could’ve done a better job of controlling the narrative from the beginning. You think if the NFL would have done something like Nike did – some type of campaign, explaining this whole situation, having his back, supporting us, supporting our first amendment right – then this thing would be going in a whole different direction. I think we’ve made progress but obviously we have a ways to go.”
(What would you like to see from the NFL now?) – “Did they release a statement recently? I haven’t read that. I haven’t kept up. What did the statement say?)
(It said these are issues that we care about and we’ll continue to make an effort to improve on it.) – “With work and getting prepared for the game, I haven’t really had an opportunity to really think about and process that. I can answer that for you another time.”
