There may now be at least two members of the Seattle Seahawks if not more who will refuse to stand at attention during the playing of the national anthem at a future Seahawks football game, one report says. But a player involved in the planned stunt says the team seeks to “honor the country and flag.”
Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane has already indulged his strike against the United States by remaining seated during the anthem, but now receiver Doug Baldwin says he may be next to join Lane in his protest, according to The Seattle Times.
During a recent practice, Baldwin admitted that he is thinking about joining Lane in his protest but said, “I want to make sure I get all of my ducks in a row before I do so.”
He indicated otherwise on Thursday afternoon:
To express a desire to bring people together, our team will honor the country and flag in a pregame demonstration of unity.
— Doug Baldwin Jr (@DougBaldwinJr) September 8, 2016
At the Thursday night NFL opener, Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall took a knee during the national anthem.
Linebacker Bobby Wagner hinted that the whole rest of the team may act as a group with all of them staying seated in protest against the country.
After dropping the bombshell, Wagner added that “whatever we decide to do will be a big surprise.”
Baldwin substantiated Wagner’s claim saying that “our locker room has discussed it. So we’ll see.”
No final decisions on enlarging the anti-American protest have yet been made, but several Seahawks players are saying the discussion is ongoing.
If Baldwin were to decide to join the anti-American protest, it wouldn’t be his first controversial action on the field.
The Seahawks receiver had to apologize early last year for a vulgar display after a touchdown by pretending to defecate a football out of his rear end during the Super Bowl. Baldwin put the Seahawks ahead, 24-14 by catching a three-yard TD pass from Russell Wilson with 4:54 left in the third quarter. As part of his victory dance he then pretended he was using the toilet and dropped the football between his legs. Baldwin later admitted the taunt was aimed at then-New England Patriots cornerback Darrelle Revis. Regardless, the stunt incurred a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and an $11,025 fine from the NFL.
Baldwin later apologized for the disgusting act saying, “I do regret the fact that it cost my team 15 yards, and to the fans, ultimately I apologize to anybody I offended in any way. It wasn’t about that. I just think it was a competitive situation. So to all the 12s, all the fans, that’s not what it’s about. So I apologize to anyone if I offended you.”
Still, the player defended himself saying he was “just out there having fun playing the game of football.”
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.
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