Dontari Poe says that Mike McCarthy and Jim Tomsula have voiced their support against systemic racism

The Dallas Cowboys signed two defensive tackles that played for the Carolina Panthers last season. They must have really liked what they saw on the 2019 tape among other things.

Gerald McCoy has seemingly caught more headlines due to his popularity across the NFL, but Dontari Poe is just as important of a signing. From a football perspective, the Cowboys have neglected defensive tackle for far too long so seeing them devote time and energy there is nice (don’t forget about Neville Gallimore either).

As Gerald McCoy is a prominent voice in the National Football League, he has used his platform to share the views that he feels are important. A few weeks ago McCoy spoke about how the Dallas Cowboys are a global brand and that what they say holds serious weight, and that this obviously extends to team owner, president, and general manager Jerry Jones.

Many players across the NFL and other sports leagues around the world have spoken up to condemn systemic racism in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death (the Cowboys themselves also released a statement). Dontari Poe has now spoken up as well, and he is also calling on Jerry Jones to speak.

Dontari Poe would like to see Jerry Jones speak up

Speaking to Bleacher Report, Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Dontari Poe also said that he would like to see Jerry Jones speak up and offer his support to those that are feeling oppressed. He did add that he hoped Jerry was doing work behind closed doors.

While Poe, who has been at the Cowboys facility nearly every day this offseason, says new head coach Mike McCarthy and defensive line coach Jim Tomsula both voiced their support for the Black community and the fight against systemic racism during Zoom meetings with players, he has yet to hear from owner Jerry Jones, and the silence is noticeable.

“Haven’t talked to Jerry at all,” Poe says. “I hope he comes out and shows his support. … You are an owner of an NFL team—you get what I’m saying? The majority of this team are these people that are being oppressed. So even if you are not going to be in the forefront, we need to know we have your support in that type of way.”

...

“His silence definitely means a lot because in any other situation [he] will have something to say about most things,” Poe says. “I was once a proponent of doing stuff behind closed doors, and doing what I need to do not out in the forefront. ... So hopefully he is doing that, but who knows what he is doing. … Personally, I would hope that he comes out and says, ‘OK, I am willing to help, I am willing to fight, and I am willing to be with y’all.’”

...

“The only thing they can do is give us money to make a change. What kind of help do we need from Jerry? We need to stand on our own two feet, be the [men] we are supposed to be and build foundations and build centers to help our youth.”

No Cowboys player has ever knelt for the anthem, but Poe says he is “definitely leaning toward” doing so this season. “To be honest, if I did kneel, how could somebody say they don’t understand it for what it is? If you don’t understand it, then you just don’t want to know it.”

While Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe have now both questioned Jerry Jones’ silence on this issue, there are different ways for each person to handle things however they choose. DeMarcus Lawrence has used his platform to do so much good throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and has spoken up with his own thoughts on these matters as well.

Lawrence is on the record in noting that he speaks for himself and told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that he is working toward action and that this situation is not about Jerry Jones.