EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Inside the auditorium at the Giants’ training and practice complex late Wednesday afternoon, players filled the rows, listening attentively to the midweek message preceding another big N.F.L. weekend.
Coach Ben McAdoo was there, taking notes. Also in attendance was General Manager Jerry Reese, who sat alongside other members of the front-office staff.
It was a football setting. The topic for more than an hour — improving race relations in the United States — was anything but.
About 25 Giants, or almost half the roster, gathered to talk about the impact of race on their lives and to discuss the ways they could become more prominently involved in the growing national debate on the subject.
The group, which was a mix of African-American and white players, had also invited a…