USC cancels Tuesday football practice in wake of Chauvin verdict

In what appeared to be a last-minute decision, as reporters were showing up for USC’s scheduled Tuesday afternoon football practice, the program announced it would not be taking the field.

The team rescheduled the practice for Wednesday.

As many started to assume given the timing, USC revealed that in the wake of the verdict against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, on trial for the death of George Floyd last year, the Trojans “decided to postpone today’s practice and instead discuss racial injustices prevalent in our society and our daily lives.”

“While we realize there is much work that needs to be done, it is important not to push the conversation to a later date as our Los Angeles community has witnessed injustices for years,” continued the statement signed by the USC Football Team. “We will continue to work with our university and local communities to use our platform to promote positive change.”

Chauvin was convicted Tuesday of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of Floyd last Memorial Day in Minneapolis, Minn. He will be sentenced in the coming weeks.

The killing of Floyd prompted protests across Los Angeles and other cities nationally last spring.