Pro Athletes Don 'I Can't Breathe' Shirts in Support of Eric Garner Protesters

Detroit Lions' Reggie Bush and Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose take part.

ByABC News
December 8, 2014, 2:38 AM

— -- Several professional athletes over the weekend showed their solidarity with demonstrators protesting a New York grand jury's decision to not indict a police officer in the death of Eric Garner by wearing t-shirts that read "I Can't Breathe."

Detroit Lions running back Reggie Bush wore one during warmups ahead of his game Sunday. "I can't breathe" were the last words of Garner, who died while being placed in a chokehold as he was being arrested.

"It's just a terrible situation, you know what I mean," Bush said, according to ESPN. "It's just unfortunate that this is still happening and that it is still going on and it affects everybody. It doesn't just affect me, it affects everybody and we're all in this together.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, left, talks with Cleveland Browns cornerback Johnson Bademosi before an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 7, 2014, in Cleveland.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, left, talks with Cleveland Browns cornerback Johnson Bademosi before an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 7, 2014, in Cleveland. More professional athletes were wearing "I Can't Breathe" messages Sunday in protest of a grand jury ruling not to indict an officer in the death of a New York man.

Other NFLers to wear t-shirts with the phrase included Cleveland Browns cornerback Johnson Bademosi and San Diego Chargers outside linebacker Melvin Ingram. St. Louis Rams offensive linemen Davin Joseph also had the message written on his cleats.

Several members of the Rams previously entered the field with their hands in the air in "don't shoot" poses, showing support for those protesting a grand jury's decision to not indict Darren Wilson, the police officer who fatally shot Michael Brown in nearby Ferguson, Missouri.

On Saturday, Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose wore a shirt with the message.

PHOTO: Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose wears a shirt reading "I Can't Breathe"
Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose wears a shirt reading "I Can't Breathe" while warming up for a game against the Golden State Warriors, Dec. 6, 2014 at the United Center in Chicago.

"I saw a picture of it, yeah," Bush told ESPN. "I thought that was really cool. It speaks volumes, you know. We all have, from an athlete standpoint, we all have a voice and I feel we can all be role models and lead by example."

Grand jury decisions to not indict officers in the cases of Garner and Michael have sparked protests across the country.