David is an NFL Defensive Lineman for the Washington Commanders, who hails from Munich, Germany. David has been with Washington since 2020, recently signing again with Washington for the 2022 season. David previously played football in the German Football League (GFL), becoming a German Bowl Champion in the 2018 season.
To shine a light on Black History Month, we sat down with David to discuss his experience and share his invaluable insight on racial equality in the world of professional sports.
What initially drew you to football?
I always loved the sport but what pushed me to excel in it was that I wanted to showcase that a black person who was born and raised in Germany of all places, can make something of themselves -- we can all achieve what we want to achieve.
How has being a POC impacted your experience in the sports sphere?
Sports is a very inclusive and supportive place, especially within football. I think sport shows us what society can actually be like without racism and discrimination. No matter what you look like or who you are, as long as you stick together -- you can overcome anything. Football, especially, is a tight knit brotherhood.
Who do you feel was the biggest supporter for representation in your sport and why?
For me, it was our (Washington Football Team) quarterback, Alex Smith. I can still remember the 2020 season when all of the controversy and issues arose from George Floyd's death... we all sat together as a team, and Alex just let us know how much it all hurt and that he had compassion for all of us. And he let us know that as a white man he had a lot of influence on society and wanted to really educate himself further on race issues. That really resonated with me.
What does BHM mean to you on a personal level?
For me, Black History Month means that we, as a society, are taking a step in the right direction. Though we are far from where we should be-- hopefully, our history is extended beyond a month and the one month won't be needed in the future because we'll all be treated equally. Our history is everyone's history.
What is something you personally would like to see change in terms of diversity in sports and entertainment?
That all people are treated the same. No matter what skin color, religion, sexual orientation, that we all are given a chance at the same opportunities and paid equally. We are one race, the human race.
