ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Star running back LeSean McCoy is finalizing plans to invite 15-20 local police officers to an upcoming Buffalo Bills game, possibly Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.
McCoy said the decision is unrelated to Colin Kaepernick making his return to the 49ers' lineup Sunday as their starting quarterback. Kaepernick has been the highest profile NFL player this season to protest social injustices, particularly shootings by police officers, by kneeling during the national anthem.
"My take on it is that the things that the cops are doing are definitely wrong," McCoy said Wednesday. "But there's good people and bad people. There's good cops and bad cops. Either this game or next [home] game, I'm going to invite some police to the game, about 15 or 20, just as an appreciation type of thing.
"They're taking so much heat right now. The things that are happening are definitely wrong, but I just feel just like there's bad people, there's bad cops and there's good cops. So that's something that me and my foundation will be doing. Also inner city kids, we're gonna bring them to the game too. You got to show appreciation, because nobody's perfect. I don't want cops getting a bad rap for something that bad cops are doing."
McCoy was involved in a high-profile investigation in Philadelphia earlier this year after he was allegedly involved in a bar fight with off-duty police officers. The Philadelphia district attorney declined to charge McCoy or his friends, citing a lack of evidence. The officers filed a civil lawsuit against McCoy last month.
"You guys know about the cops, the situation I had," McCoy said Wednesday. "For me to say that, that's genuine."
Asked if McCoy would be inviting only Buffalo cops -- and not any from Philadelphia -- McCoy laughed.
"Yeah, for sure," he said. "Let's make that clear: only Buffalo cops."