'Save the bulls***': The NFL is slammed by players and fans for statement on George Floyd's death which spoke of 'the power of our platform'... despite Colin Kaepernick being frozen out for his kneeling anthem protest

The NFL has been scolded by players and fans on social media after commissioner Roger Goodell's seemingly hypocritical statement regarding George Floyd's death. 

Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was charged on Friday with the murder of Mr Floyd, 46, after mobile phone footage of the officer kneeling on Floyd's neck prompted a wave of furious protests across the United States of America.

It took Goodell nearly a week to address the tragic incident in Minneapolis, but his 150-word statement - released on Twitter on Saturday - did little to comfort players and fans of the sport and instead drew animosity from them.

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Roger Goodell has been slammed after the NFL's statement on George Floyd's death

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Derek Chauvin (in uniform) is shown here in a still from a video taken Monday when he knelt on George Floyd's neck during an arrest before he died

Many pointed to the sentence in the last paragraph which read: 'We recognise the power of our platform in communities and as part of the fabric of American society,' a seemingly hypocritical statement when connected to Colin Kaepernick's absence from the league.

The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback has not played in the NFL since the 2016 season in which he non-violently protested by famously kneeling, with teammates, during the USA national anthem.

Kaepernick stood firm in his decision to choose not to stand for the anthem saying he was standing up 'for people that are oppressed', but after being frozen out and told the 49ers planned to release him, he opted out of his contract in March 2017 and became a free agent.

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But many saw part the NFL's statement as hypocritical given their stance on Colin Kaepernick

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Kaepernick was frozen out at San Francisco 49ers after kneeling during the national anthem

And many social media users were furious given the apparent hypocrisy of the statement, with Houston Texans wide receiver Kenny Stills replying to the statement with the tweet: 'Save the bulls***'.

'Screenwrite Gary Whitta also tweeted: 'Actions speak louder than words and your actions have been wholly inadequate. Pass.'

Another wrote that the statement vindicated Kaepernick's actions, stating: ' What all of this statement really says: Colin Kaepernick was right. 

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'The league's owners—the commissioner's bosses—blew this years ago when they didn't care.'

Some however were still left aggrieved that the statement did not address Monday's tragedy, with one writing: 'This NFL statement about black people killed by police never actually mentions the police.'

Another user simply tweeted: 'Wow. It took you over 140 words to say nothing.'