ALLEN PARK -- Sheila Ford Hamp, the new principal owner of the Detroit Lions, wasted little time in expressing her support for players to peaceful protest. Whether that is kneeling, locking arms or whatever the players come together and decide, Ford Hamp has made her stance known right from the get.
She made the comments while touching on the unprecedented offseason, and expressing her pride in how the players and coaches have handled everything from the pandemic to protesting for social justice. Ford Hamp, who served as Martha Firestone Ford's right-hand woman for the last six years, said the Lions would "continue to support them (the players) and work for positive change."
Ford Hamp even explained how she felt more understand what the players are protesting and that the understanding behind kneeling "is completely different now."
"I think most people really understand what the kneeling was all about. I know the commissioner (Roger Goodell) has said, and I completely agree, that we support our players' right to peaceful protest," Ford Hamp said. "We support the First Amendment. I think this has finally, finally, thank goodness, gotten national attention. This is a serious problem, and we, as an organization, plan to listen to our players and support them any way we can.
"I can't speak for my mother or my brother or sisters right now, but we're not down on the field when the games begin. I will be watching from the stands. That's where we are. As I say, we support our players' right to peaceful protest, and so, however that comes out, and peaceful is the key word -- so, no, we won't be kneeling on the field, no. But we would support them."
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This offseason has also faced the challenges posed by the COIVD-19 pandemic, with question marks hanging over the start of training camp and the regular season. Players and coaches put the finishing touches on their virtual offseason program last week, while a limited number of employees physically returned to work in Allen Park.
Ford Hamp said the team is planning for every possible scenario regarding camp and the season, but is working with the goal of keeping their staff safe while preparing to play football in the fall. As of now, the NFL is requiring teams to open training camp on July 28 at their own facility.
Another noteworthy topic covered was that of free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The former 49ers quarterback was essentially blackballed from the league for peacefully protesting against police brutality in 2016. He hasn't played since he threw for 2,241 yards with 16 touchdowns and only four interceptions. Kaepernick started Super Bowl XLVII at the age of 25, then was one play away from another trip the next season but out of a job within three years.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has said he supports Kaepernick's return to the league while encouraging a team to sign the quarterback. Goodell didn't mention the quarterback's name in his first statement but has since expressed his support in seeing Kaepernick get another opportunity.
While Ford Hamp isn't outright calling for the team to sign the quarterback, she made it clear she would support the decision if coaches and general manager Bob Quinn deemed it a smart move.
"If our coaches and our general manager all thought it was a good idea to bring him in," Ford Hamp said, "I would completely support that."
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It's hard to see Kaepernick as a fit despite offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell's past success with dual-threat quarterbacks. Detroit signed Chase Daniel to a three-year, $13 million deal in the offseason to be Matthew Stafford's primary backup. That's a decent-sized deal for a team that historically hasn't invested much into the backup quarterback position.
Stafford is coming off his first missed games in a decade, but not before playing some of the best ball of his career. He remains under contract through 2023 and is said to be ready for action after dealing with a trio of back injuries in a calendar year.
Ford Hamp said any major front office decision would be discussed with her mother and other three siblings, who will each continue to serve in their role as vice-chair. When asked if she was the one holding the ultimate say, Ford Hamp said: "Pretty much, yes."
"I have my mother on the board and my two sisters and brother," Ford Hamp said. "Any major decision will totally be discussed with all of them. We're all in constant touch about things, and we discuss and come together with conclusions. But I guess the buck has to stop somewhere, so I guess it's me -- but with the help and discussion of my siblings and my mother.
"I plan to be involved. I plan to, as I keep saying, learn more about the organization. I don't plan to meddle, but I plan to be informed enough so that I can make good decisions at the top."
Related: New Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp: This team will remain a hands-on family endeavor | 10 defining moments of Martha Ford's tenure running the Detroit Lions
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