Quarterback Nick Foles, right, of the Philadelphia Eagles and Jeffrey Lurie, left, owner of the Eagles, celebrate following victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Feb 4, 2018. (PHOTO / AFP)

WASHINGTON - Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie has slammed the US government's handling of systemic racism and the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, calling it a "tragic embarrassment," CNN reported Tuesday.

"We have to own the questions of leadership, we have to own the questions of policy, and there's a lot to be discussed here on that in the future. It's heartbreaking," CNN quoted the owner of the Eagles of the National Football League (NFL) as saying.

These are needless deaths. Needless. We should be similar to most countries on the planet, and yet, we are an embarrassment, and a tragic embarrassment.

Jeffrey Lurie, Philadelphia Eagles owner

ALSO READ: NFL: League on track for full season starting on Sept 10

"These are needless deaths. Needless. We should be similar to most countries on the planet, and yet, we are an embarrassment, and a tragic embarrassment," Lurie added.

Calling systemic racism one of the two "pandemics" afflicting the United States, Lurie said during his annual State of the Eagles address that change will not happen until "we realize we're responsible for it.”

READ MORE: NFL to trim preseason to two games

Lurie took charge of the Eagles in 1994, and led the team to its first Super Bowl title in 2017.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the United States has surpassed 6 million, with national death toll topping 185,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Nationwide demonstrations against what activists have described as police brutality and systemic racial inequality have broken out over the past few months, particularly after police killed George Floyd and shot Jacob Blake.