Terrell Owens, a former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver, made strong remarks this week about NFL players’ relationships with team owners. He believes that players do not have enough power in the current setup.

Owens appeared on The Jason Lee Show on Wednesday. During his appearance, Owens did not shy away from making divisive remarks. He mentioned race several times, including how race played a role in former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s dismissal from the league.

Lee questioned the Hall of Fame wide receiver about the NFL’s lack of a black owner. After all, the vast majority of NFL players are African-American. However, with the exception of two owners who are not black, the majority of the owners are white.

The NFL, according to Owens, operates “like a good ol’ boys league” due to their voting system. Before they can own a team, owners must be elected. Because white people make up the majority of NFL owners, the new inductees fit the mold.

Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver discusses NFL ownership and race.

According to Owens, the league’s imbalance causes players to have a “slave-type mentality” when they join a team.

“You look at the dynamics of that, that slave-type mentality, and I think over the years we’ve had several conversations,” Owens went on to say. “I know I have with a lot of the players in the league.”

Honestly, the way it’s set up, these owners. They truly have these players believing that we require them rather than the players understanding the power that they possess.”

Owens did not mince his words. It’s an important debate for the NFL to have in a league where the majority of players are one race and the people in power and signing paychecks are another.

Given the history of NFL owners using racial innuendo, Owens’ statement that many players are uncomfortable with the racial dynamics at play in ownership is not surprising. And that’s not even getting into how the NFL views black coaches in comparison to their white counterparts.