The NFL is buying TV airtime to run a PSA about Stephon Clark -- an unarmed Black man who was wrongly shot to death by cops in his grandmother's backyard, TMZ Sports has learned.
It's the latest in the NFL's Inspire Change initiative -- which aims to raise awareness about the need to create positive change and end systemic racism.
Clark's story is heartbreaking -- cops believed he had been breaking car windows in the area ... and tried to hide out in his grandma's house.
Multiple officers entered the home and opened fire -- believing Clark was brandishing a weapon.
Turns out, all he was holding was a cell phone. No gun. No weapon.
Clark was shot 8 times -- 6 of those shots struck him in the back.
Stephon's mother Se’Quette Clark tells his story in the new PSA -- walking the audience through that horrific night in the hopes of forcing major changes that will help prevent tragedies like this in the future.
Viewers can check out StephonClarkLegacy.com for more info.
The spot is 5th PSA created through a joint initiative involving the NFL and Jay-Z's Roc Nation.