Former Baltimore Colt Asking NFL To Stand Up Against Domestic Violence
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The NFL taps a Maryland resident and former Baltimore Colt to help deliver a powerful message about domestic violence to the entire league in the wake of the Ray Rice scandal.
Derek Valcourt has more on the new video players will see and the local man at the center of it.
This video is just one in a series of small steps to help educate everyone in the NFL on the issue that's left the league scrambling to repair its image.
The Ray Rice domestic assault case and a series of other domestic violence incidents involving NFL players are now the focus of major reforms within the league. Wednesday afternoon, all NFL team owners spent hours in meetings discussing changes to the league's personal conduct policy and disciplinary action.
"I think this is an opportunity for every man to look inside himself. How do we redeem this moment?" Ehrmann said in the video.
All of them are forced to watch a video featuring Baltimore Colts defensive tackle Joe Ehrmann, who is now a motivational speaker.
"Think about your breathing for a moment. Then think about the women in your life--the women that you love and care for," Ehrmann said in the video. "And now just imagine that they're at a party and then there's some man in there that starts to assault them. And then I would ask you, as you think about that, think about the role that you have to raise up a generation of men that are going to have the clarity, have the moral courage to call out other men."
The entire Ehrmann video seen by team owners:
Valcourt: "Where does the NFL go from here to tackle this problem?"
Ehrmann: "Well, I think you are going to see the rollout in the next few months."
Ehrmann tells WJZ he's already spoken to the Ravens and a handful of other NFL teams with plans to speak to the rest. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell confirms the education process Ehrmann is part of will expand to include all NFL personnel.
"It's just not a quick fix. I'm 65 years old. I'm the first generation of men in America that have ever been held legally accountable for the way they've hurt women. So this has been a long term problem, no easy solution. But I think the NFL's been given that mantle," Ehrmann said.
Ehrmann says he's even made a long format video the NFL will distribute to every high school and college coach in America with the goal that one week before homecoming the coaches would teach their players how to date and respect women.
Visit the NFL's player engagement site here.
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