While multiple NFL teams called off practice as a show of unity in protest of the Jacob Blake shooting, the Pittsburgh Steelers took the field Thursday as scheduled.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said coach Mike Tomlin addressed the team “briefly” before practice about the social injustice movement taking place across professional sports. Roethlisberger, though, said players never took a vote on whether to cancel practice.

“We desire to have an impact more than statements,” Tomlin said. “We want to be proactive. We’ve had continued conversations, not necessarily due to most recent events that have transpired.”

Blake was shot in the back seven times by Kenosha (Wisc.) police officers.

One night after the NBA postponed all playoff games when the Milwaukee Bucks and others opted out of playing and a few MLB teams followed suit, nine NFL teams decided not to hold training camp workouts. They were the Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans and Washington Football Team. The Detroit Lions canceled their practice Wednesday.

Tomlin said he didn’t give “any real consideration” to canceling practice.

“Each athlete and each person has the choice to choose to what level and to what degree to use their platform,” Roethlisberger said about two hours before practice. “The biggest thing for me is to listen to my African-American teammates and friends that aren’t even in football to get a better understanding and to educate myself.”

A team captain and veteran heading into his 17th NFL season, Roethlisberger is the longest tenured Steelers player. He admits he doesn’t have all the answers on how to deal with racial injustice issues.

“We need to educate ourselves,” he said. “I would like to educate myself, which is why I’m listening. I think listening is the most important thing to do. I look different than a lot of my teammates, a lot of my friends. How can I better educate myself than to listen and learn because we all need to do it and be better.”

With the regular season looming just two-and-a-half weeks away, the Steelers are expected to meet to decide how to address social injustices as a team, whether players will kneel for the national anthem or take a similar show of support.

Roethlisberger said that meeting hasn’t taken place yet.

“A lot of people need to be heard,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of great leaders on this team. I’m sure we’ll all have discussions as it gets closer.”

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