A long list of NFL teams and up to 130 players protested during the playing of the national anthem as the NFL’s Week 3 began, Sunday. The protests came on the heels of President Donald Trump’s criticism of the National Football League for allowing the growing number of protests.
The protests began late Saturday night as the Ravens and Jaguars met in London, England, to play at Wembley Stadium. Over a dozen of the players of both teams took a knee during the playing of the U.S. national anthem, even after they all stood in honor of the British anthem:
Ravens and Jaguars players locked arms while others knelt for the national anthem prior to the game in London. https://t.co/bP59FWysNd pic.twitter.com/tzgUpXIuXg
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 24, 2017
Early on Sunday morning, President Trump once again took to Twitter to criticize the NFL saying, “If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast. Fire or suspend!”
If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast. Fire or suspend!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2017
The president revisited the issue a half hour later saying, “NFL attendance and ratings are WAY DOWN. Boring games yes, but many stay away because they love our country. League should back U.S.”
…NFL attendance and ratings are WAY DOWN. Boring games yes, but many stay away because they love our country. League should back U.S.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2017
Not long after the president’s tweet, news broke that the Pittsburgh Steelers had announced that they were not going to take the field during the playing of the anthem as they faced the Chicago Bears at the Bears’ Soldier Field — a stadium erected as a memorial to America’s fallen WWI soldiers.
This is how it looked when the Steelers coaching staff took the sidelines:
Mike Tomlin. No players behind him. pic.twitter.com/GYR0M4EyvR
— Eric Edholm (@Eric_Edholm) September 24, 2017
One Steeler, though, bucked the team’s decision to remain in the locker room. Steelers offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva, himself a U.S. Army veteran, came out, hand over heart and helmut under his arm, as the anthem played:
https://twitter.com/CalebJHull/status/912003356012437504
The Steelers’ opponents, the Chicago Bears, also joined the protest with some players linking arms:
Chicago Bears link arms during national anthem at today's game https://t.co/ZVkvLTGxV6 pic.twitter.com/aJPw1eiYbM
— FOX 32 News (@fox32news) September 24, 2017
From there the protests came in hot and heavy as the day’s games progressed.
In Detroit, Rico Lavelle took a knee while singing the ending of the anthem ahead of the Lions’ game against the Atlanta Falcons:
WOW. Rico Lavelle, who sang national anthem before @Lions @AtlantaFalcons game in Detroit ended on one knee w/ ✊🏽. #TakeAKneeNFL pic.twitter.com/OrlrWTzpvR
— Huwaida Arraf (@huwaidaarraf) September 24, 2017
Also in Detroit, eight members of the Lions took a knee during the anthem:
Here are eight members of the Detroit Lions kneeling. Many broadcasts apparently didn't show much of the protests. #TakeAKnee pic.twitter.com/mAZobqaKl7
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) September 24, 2017
Their opposites on the other side of the field, the Atlanta Falcons, saw only two players take up the protest. It was the first time any Falcons player have taken up Colin Kaepernick’s protests.
Members of the Buffalo Bills also took a knee in protest and running back LeSean McCoy ignored the song entirely and carried on stretching and warming up during the anthem:
One family.#DENvsBUF #GoBills pic.twitter.com/gHCptyUBNn
— Buffalo Bills (@buffalobills) September 24, 2017
LeSean McCoy stretches during the national anthem. Video courtesy @JennaCottrell @WKBW @13WHAM #Bills pic.twitter.com/2tT4NmdoD8
— Matthew Bové (@Matt_Bove) September 24, 2017
The Denver Broncs also joined the protest as they faced the Bills with 32 players taking a knee during the anthem.
Nearly a dozen members of the New Orleans Saints remained seated as the anthem played ahead of their match-up with the Carolina Panthers:
A number of players on the New Orleans @Saints sat down during the national anthem. #TakeTheKnee ✊
📷: @SInow pic.twitter.com/TSIU2rjX23
— Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) September 24, 2017
Into the afternoon, the Seattle Seahawks released a statement informing fans that they had decided not to take the field during the anthem saying that they would “not stand for the injustice that has plagued people of color in this country:”
Breaking: The #Seahawks players have sent me a statement saying they will not be participating in the national anthem. pic.twitter.com/nKd2KlYFLf
— ig: josinaanderson (@JosinaAnderson) September 24, 2017
As game time arrived, the Seahawks’ opponent, the Tennessee Titans, decided to join the Seahawks by staying in their locker room:
JUST IN: Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans stay in locker room during national anthem in joint protest https://t.co/kWcAKv11KO pic.twitter.com/ma3xMbpt6r
— The Hill (@thehill) September 24, 2017
Next to hit the protest was the Green Bay Packers, some of whom remained seated during the anthem.
Green Bay Packers (@packers)
Martellus Bennett, Lance Kendricks & Kevin King sit during anthem.
Bottom 📸 : @ByRyanWood pic.twitter.com/lQ2Ui30Lwz
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) September 24, 2017
Other Packer players, both white and black, linked arms.
https://twitter.com/PennyCyllen/status/912084958214225920
The Cincinnati Bengals also locked arms during the anthem with Coach Marvin Lewis insisting that the team would not “let divisive words divide them:”
Several #Bengals appear to have their arms locked for the anthem. @WCPO pic.twitter.com/LK0QCCkp0m
— Keenan Singleton (@KJMSingleton) September 24, 2017
A majority of the Oakland Raiders also remained seated during the anthem ahead of their game with the Washington Redskins:
Majority of the Raiders players are sitting during the anthem. pic.twitter.com/UiTuNKNyXH
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) September 25, 2017
The Redskins also joined the Raiders with some players kneeling and others linking arms:
The Redskins were joined by owner Dan Snyder and a mix of players kneeling and locking arms. And now…back to football. pic.twitter.com/kF9faLSasN
— Breaking Burgundy 2.0 (@TSCRedskins) September 25, 2017
Both of New York’s teams, the Jets and the Giants, either linked arms, took a knee, or sat during the playing of the anthem.
Unity. pic.twitter.com/puD77lwORk
— New York Jets (@nyjets) September 24, 2017
In addition, both teams who faced the New Yorkers also protested with the Dolphins locking arms with owner Steve Ross, while the Philadelphia Eagles stood with arms linked during the anthem.
#FlyEaglesFly #PhiladelphiaEagles Trump embroils NFL Sunday in protest controversy #Philly #Eagles https://t.co/PNcMUrbPjN
— Eagles Fans (@PhilEaglesViews) September 25, 2017
Even the New England Patriots, owned by Trump friend Robert Kraft, took a knee during the anthem.
New England Patriots players took a knee at Gillette Stadium before their game against the Houston Texans. https://t.co/EbGgeQ9Bmf pic.twitter.com/HiPUyUiW6H
— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) September 24, 2017
Owner Kraft also released a statement telling fans how “disappointed” he was in his friend the president.
JUST IN: Robert Kraft, New England Patriots CEO: "I am deeply disappointed by the tone of the comments made by the president on Friday." pic.twitter.com/LflWGaiIRs
— ABC News (@ABC) September 24, 2017
During their game with the Buccaneers, the Vikings linked arms with GM Rick Spielman, owners Mark Wilf & Zygi Wilf.
Minnesota Vikings Harrison Smith locked arms with GM Rick Spielman, owners Mark Wilf & Zygi Wilf during the National Anthem. pic.twitter.com/kXili7ANKJ
— Carlos Gonzalez (@CarlosGphoto) September 24, 2017
Several of the Buccaneers joined the protests by taking a knee.
But Bucs also put out a statement about the protests:
A statement from the Buccaneers: pic.twitter.com/Xfamm2ihco
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) September 24, 2017
The Arizona Cardinals’ President, Michael Bidwill, also released a statement about the team’s protest:
Statement from Cardinals President Michael Bidwill. pic.twitter.com/IZ99pSSJXx
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) September 24, 2017
Twenty players from the Cleveland Browns took a knee as the anthem played.
Over twenty players of the Cleveland @Browns took a knee today during the national anthem. #TakeTheKnee ✊️ pic.twitter.com/xRiTxCaRwr
— Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) September 24, 2017
Across the field, the Indianapolis Colts also saw members linking arms in protest.
Bigger than football. pic.twitter.com/3nMzaCdOhx
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) September 24, 2017
While none of the Houston Texans took a knee as the game began, the entire team did stand with arms linked.
. @HoustonTexans stand, arm in arm, for the national anthem before the game against the Patriots. https://t.co/evazGxsokK #WeAreTexans pic.twitter.com/EbRqFOHXxH
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) September 24, 2017
During a postgame interview, Dolphins safety, Michael Thomas, criticized President Trump for worrying about the NFL when there is so much more for him to be concerned about.
Dolphins safety Michael Thomas started breaking up when talking about Trump calling him "a son of a b!tch." pic.twitter.com/Z4wroPcvzW
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) September 24, 2017
No doubt this will not be the end of the protests as the 2017 season rolls onward.
In the end, the only teams that did not have any players joining the protest was the Dallas Cowboys and the Carolina Panthers.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.
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