Los Angeles Chargers coaches and players stand on the field after the cancelation of NFL football practice and a scrimmage at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020. The team canceled practice due to the recent shooting of Jacob Blake. Coach Anthony Lynn canceled practice after his players held a wide-ranging conversation in the locker room spurred by the shooting of Blake, a Black man, in Wisconsin last weekend. (Hans Gutknecht/The Orange County Register via AP)
The Associated Press
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) - The Los Angeles Chargers saw their new home at SoFi Stadium for the first time as a team Thursday. But instead of conducting a scrimmage as planned, the team canceled practice due to the shooting of Jacob Blake.
Coach Anthony Lynn canceled practice after his players held a wide-ranging conversation in the locker room spurred by the shooting of Blake, a Black man, in Wisconsin last Sunday. The Chargers were one of nine teams to call off practice Thursday.
'œWe got a lot more done in the locker room than we would have on the field,'ť Lynn said, 'œAs the head coach I have to have a feel for the team and my instincts told me not to take the field.'ť
Lynn said the players going through the routine of getting to the new stadium, walking the field and seeing the locker room still proved beneficial.
Lynn and his players have been having an open dialogue about race issues, police brutality and social justice since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis three months ago. Those meetings happened on Zoom, however. This marked the first time the entire team was in one locker room and players could see each other up close.
Quarterback Tyrod Taylor agreed the conversations in the locker room were more emotional.
'œTo get that conversation out with everyone and see everyone's takes was healthy. It affects some more than others,'ť Taylor said.
The mammoth 360-degree video board displayed the quote 'œI'm not sad. I don't want your pity. I want change,'ť which was spoken by Letetra Widman, Blake's sister, after the shooting. Ribbon boards around the stadium displayed the names of those who had been affected by police brutality.
NFL Network was scheduled to do a one-hour show from the stadium before the scrimmage, but it turned into a player's town hall on off-field issues.
'œThis was a great time to do it. It is a testament to our organization and shows that this scrimmage is less important than dealing with the issues at hand. To have the organization behind us is good,'ť defensive end Isaac Rochell said.
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Los Angeles Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn, with players behind him, talks to the media about the cancelation of practice and a scrimmage at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020. The team canceled practice due to the recent shooting of Jacob Blake. Lynn canceled practice after his players held a wide-ranging conversation in the locker room spurred by the shooting of Blake, a Black man, in Wisconsin last weekend. (Hans Gutknecht/The Orange County Register via AP)
The Associated Press
Los Angeles Chargers coaches and players stand on the field after the cancelation of NFL football practice and a scrimmage at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020. The team canceled practice due to the recent shooting of Jacob Blake. Coach Anthony Lynn canceled practice after his players held a wide-ranging conversation in the locker room spurred by the shooting of Blake, a Black man, in Wisconsin last weekend. (Hans Gutknecht/The Orange County Register via AP)
The Associated Press
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn points to a player during an NFL football camp practice, Monday, Aug. 17, 2020, in Costa Mesa, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
The Associated Press
FILE - This Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020, file photo, shows an interior general view of SoFi Stadium, the future home of the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers in Inglewood, Calif. The Chargers saw their new home at SoFi Stadium for the first time as a team Thursday, Aug. 27. But instead of conducting a scrimmage, the team canceled practice due to the recent shooting of Jacob Blake. Coach Anthony Lynn canceled practice after his players held a wide-ranging conversation in the locker room spurred by the shooting of Blake, a Black man, in Wisconsin last weekend. The Chargers were one of nine teams that called off practice. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong, File)
The Associated Press