Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott counters Lebron James-Jerry Jones tiff by asking for grace
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott didn’t want to weigh on the controversy regarding owner Jerry Jones and a resurfaced picture from 1957 of him standing with some white students blocking six Black students from trying to desegregate North Little Rock High School.
Jones has explained that his presence was more about curiosity as a 14-year-old sophomore than resistance and he didn’t know what was happened.
But issue, which was brought up in a Washington Post story examining his lack of impact in the hiring of Black coaches in the NFL, hasn’t gone away.
And when NBA star Lebron James of the Los Angeles took reporters to task Wednesday about why they haven’t asked him about the Jones photo after peppering him with questions a few weeks back about Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving sharing a link to a documentary containing antisemitic views on social media, it became another viral firestorm on social media.
So the question about Jones and James was brought to Prescott Thursday during his weekly media session.
“I don’t have much to say,” Prescott began before pressing on. “Obviously, we can be more empathetic and give grace to one another. Regardless of race, from the times we’ve come from to where we are now, thinking about the growth we’ve had, that’s who I am, that’s how I think. Optimistic. A guy who is completely bi-racial, black and white. It’s easy for me to speak on race on one side or the other. I don’t always…(pause)…how do I say this…I don’t if I’ve fully processed it all the way, honestly.”
James clearly had time to process and waiting to make a point with the media who cover the Lakers on Wednesday night.
“I got one question for you guys before you guys leave. I was thinking when I was on my way over here, I was wondering why I haven’t gotten a question from you guys about the Jerry Jones photo,” James said. “But when the Kyrie [Irving] thing was going on, you guys were quick to ask us questions about that.”
James continued: “When I watch Kyrie talk and he says, ‘I know who I am, but I want to keep the same energy when we’re talking about my people and the things that we’ve been through,’ and that Jerry Jones photo is one of those moments that our people, Black people, have been through in America. And I feel like as a Black man, as a Black athlete, as someone with power and a platform, when we do something wrong, or something that people don’t agree with, it’s on every single tabloid, every single news coverage, it’s on the bottom ticker. It’s asked about every single day.
“But it seems like to me that the whole Jerry Jones situation, photo — and I know it was years and years ago and we all make mistakes, I get it — but it seems like it’s just been buried under, like, ‘Oh, it happened. OK, we just move on.’ And I was just kind of disappointed that I haven’t received that question from you guys.”
For Prescott the answer is nuanced.
“I think whether LeBron is talking about the picture, I think that’s on Jerry to address, right?,” Prescott said. “I mean, and since it was 65 years ago and how times have changed. I mean, look at the man’s resume since then, right? Like I said. I give grace.”
Prescott, however, agreed with James is saying the media should be more accountable to themselves in how they handle questions, while tacitly acknowledging there can be a disparity in terms of queries based on race.
“I think that’s a conversation and a question not only for (Jones), but for you guys and how you feel how accountable you’ve been in covering and discussing the disparities and differences in race,” Prescott said. “So, yeah, I’m here for growth and giving grace and trying to make this world a better place. That’s who I am at my core and all I believe in.”
“Unfortunate things come up from the past. Pictures and they show how far we’ve come but in the same sense, they’re a reminder of how short of a time that was ago in the same sense. It wasn’t that long ago that we were all sitting on different sides and we weren’t together. But as I said, I wouldn’t be here if it was still that way. I believe in grace and change. Those are questions for Jerry and for you all, honestly that I don’t quite have the answers for.”
