LaDainian Tomlinson praises players for speaking out against racism

Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson expressed his admiration for current players taking a stand against racial injustice in America, saying he wished he had done more during his playing career.

"The courage, empowerment and unity displayed nationwide by peaceful protesters of all backgrounds has been extremely moving," Tomlinson wrote for NFL.com. "It's certainly been a light amidst all this darkness, and I've been uplifted by the actions of many NFL players who've set a fantastic example by making their voices heard and putting their feelings into action."

Tomlinson specifically pointed to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, saying it meant a lot for one of the biggest names in the league to lend his voice to the Black Lives Matter movement.

"Seeing a superstar like Patrick Mahomes say 'I am Tamir Rice' was poignant, as it tapped into a direct, heartbreaking reality that we, as Black men, have to deal with in our society," Tomlinson wrote.

While seeing all of these players take action, Tomlinson said he couldn't help but wonder if he could have done more during his own time in the NFL.

"The way these players are using their platform is inspiring, and this obviously includes all of the admirable social justice work being done by the Players Coalition," Tomlinson wrote. "It makes me wish I would have expanded Tomlinson's Touching Lives Foundation earlier to do more of this kind of work. Since my retirement in 2011, I've had a lot of time to think about why I didn't, and if I'm being transparent, I was too consumed with being the best football player I could be. I questioned myself constantly in those days, even when I knew a decision was the right one. I worried about how I was perceived by everyone."