[161] The players previously stood during the national anthem, with this being the first time they took the knee. [12], It is a tradition in the United States to play "The Star-Spangled Banner", the national anthem, before sporting events. On September 5, 2018 in response to the new Kaepernick-Nike campaign, the National Black Police Association provided a letter stating, "The NBPA believes that Mr. Kaepernick's stance is in direct alignment with what law enforcement stands for the protection of a people, their human rights, their dignity, their safety and their rights as American citizens. Did the Jacksonville Jaguars stand for the national anthem? However, the campaign did result in a temporary drop of 2.2% in the company's stock price. Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma said Russian internet trolls, seeking to polarize Americans, helped fuel online discord. Alex Okafor was the only Chief to kneel and also raised his fist. "[219], In September 2016, President Barack Obama stated that Kaepernick was "exercising his constitutional right" to protest. ", "The national anthem in sports (spoiler: it wasn't always this way)", "NFL rulebook does not require players to stand for national anthem; Game Operations manual does", "Diverse America divided on flag, anthem, other symbols", "The Psychology of Taking a Knee: The backlash against protests by Colin Kaepernick and other athletes raises all sorts of scientific questions", "Opinion | Eric Reid: Why Colin Kaepernick and I Decided to Take a Knee", "Military veterans divided over NFL protests", "The #TakeAKnee protests have always been about race. The poem was then set to music later that year by John Stafford Smith. [210], On August 3, 2020, Ryan Reaves and Robin Lehner of the Vegas Golden Knights and Tyler Seguin and Jason Dickinson of the Dallas Stars knelt during both the American and Canadian national anthems. Harris did more than just be a good American, he went out of his way to be a light that helps others see, for an eleven-year old girl who had recently endured tragedy. But the military is involved in the playing of the anthem. This came after the Associated Press had reported earlier in the day that Miami team rules stated that improper anthem conduct could result in a player suspension of up to four games, more than some players receive for violating the league's domestic violence policy. Rubio tweeted, "No @NFL player does more community service than @KStills of the @MiamiDolphins. Upon the resumption of the 20192020 season in the NBA Bubble, the entire ensemble of players, coaches, and referees in the first game knelt for an instrumental version of the National Anthem, which featured elements of rap music, pre-recorded by Jon Batiste. The head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers football program, Coach Mike London, continued to recruit him, and for Harris, that loyalty meant everything. While those discussions continue, the NFL has agreed to delay implementing or enforcing any club work rules that could result in players being disciplined for their conduct during the performance of the anthem. Do the NFL kneelers do more for their cause than just kneel? Yes, they absolutely do. [197], Both the New York Liberty and Seattle Storm walked off the court during the Star-Spangled Banner during the 2020 season opener. The Richmond, Virginia native, was a highly touted high school athlete, ranked as highly as #34 in the nation by some sports news outlets. Protests Trump Comments", "Meghan Linsey kneels after singing national anthem at Titans-Seahawks game", "For years, Trump bashed the NFL and players who protested racial injustice. [289] Colin Kaepernick used this fact to an advantage and conducted his act of a peaceful protest which remained inconspicuous until President Trump posted his tweets on Twitter. At first glance, it was just one [135], On September 17, 2020, the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns stood together with arms linked. [29], Kaepernick was not able to sign a contract with any NFL team even after he opted out of his contract with the 49ers and became a free agent in 2017, presumably because of his actions of taking a knee. "[73] However, his protest began the day following Veterans Day, so he received criticism. [188], The Baltimore Orioles all walked onto the field wearing Black Lives Matter shirts. [55][56] The reaction to Trump's remarks were amidst other ongoing issues his administration was facing, including failed attempts at healthcare reform, the primary election loss of Trump-backed candidate Luther Strange for the Alabama seat in the U.S. Senate, recovery efforts for Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, Hurricane Irma in Florida, and Hurricane Harvey in Houston, and relations with North Korea over their nuclear and missile testing. This is why it isn't recommended to protest in any way during The Star-Spangled Banner. Why were the Packers in the locker room during the national anthem? Anthem Policy Bound to Please Only the N.F.L. Instead of using the NFLPA, Kaepernick hired Mark Geragos to be his attorney. "I am not going to get up to show pride in a country that oppresses black people and people of color. [184] The Rays Twitter account had called for the arrest of the police officers involved in the shooting of Breonna Taylor prior to the first game. Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron said, "I think he's getting a raw deal" from the NFL. [200] However, in the wake of the George Floyd protests, NBA commissioner Adam Silver reversed his stance, stating that he respects "teams' unified act of peaceful protest for social justice and under these unique circumstances will not enforce [the] long-standing rule requiring standing during the playing of our national anthem."[201]. The NFL decided to implement this rule back in October 2017 but held off on making it public until now. following Trump's initial response to the protests. WebIn fact, several prominent players including Richard Sherman and Malcolm Jenkins have been banned from certain teams because they chose to continue demonstrating during In addition, the teams as a whole would be subject to punishment and other forms of discipline from the NFL as a result. [284] On May 31, Lieutenant Robert Cattani knelt during the protests in Lower Manhattan's Foley Square. "[243], Trent Dilfer criticized Kaepernick. [58], In a May 2018 interview, Trump stated "You have to stand proudly for the national anthem, or you shouldn't be playing, you shouldn't be there. On October 1, at East Carolina University, about 19 members of the band knelt, while about another two held the American flag during the national anthem at the beginning of the football game against the University of Central Florida. Some believe it salutes military and police officers who have died on duty; for others, it honors the United States generally. On September 23, four players from Withrow High School, three black and one white, in Cincinnati knelt during the national anthem before their football game. Eminem takes a knee at the Super Bowl 2022 halftime show. But when he fractured his tibia at the end of his junior season in high school, many other schools stopped pursuing him. [52] Others said they took offense to Trump demeaning the integrity of their primarily African American colleagues, when a month earlier he had hesitated to condemn the white nationalists who protested in Charlottesville, Virginia and murdered a counter protester. So, an Unhyphenated America is a place where people choose to focus on being simply human, first and foremost; and living in harmony with those who share those uniquely American values, regardless of their race and/or ethnicity. He added, "I believe that taking a knee during the National Anthem is just another way for me to show my support for those who have been oppressed. [9] The act itself has become widely referred to as "taking the knee" or "taking a knee". [112], After the creation of a video featuring NFL players, among them incumbent Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, asking the league to address racial inequalities following the May murder of George Floyd, commissioner Roger Goodell released a video of his own condemning racism and apologizing for the NFL's handling of previous protests. In May, Trump threatened to remove football league sponsorship deals if its players didn't stop kneeling during the anthem. [50] In the games immediately following Trump's statements, the protest gained broader participation when over 200 players sat or knelt during the anthem, others linked arms with their teammates or raised fists, and three teams chose to stay in the locker room for the anthem. [128] The home team Detroit Lions did the same with players either kneeling or leaving the field. Thanks to the sacrifices of many, we live in a country of unparalleled freedoms and countless liberties, including the right to peacefully express one's opinion. hide. However, the athletes received public support from University officials. [109], Kenny Stills who was traded to the Houston Texans continue to kneel during the playing of the anthem. No other player has followed his lead since then, but many other reasons have been given for taking a knee or raising a fist during the song. [52][53] Other Republicans such as Florida senator Marco Rubio also expressed their discomforts against these policies as well. [187], Prior to their game against the Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals players wore Black Lives Matter shirts. Some major celebrities that matched Kaepernick's donations include basketball players Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, tennis player Serena Williams, singer Usher, and rappers Snoop Dogg and Meek Mill. [70] Jelani Jenkins, Arian Foster, Kenny Stills, and Michael Thomas of the Miami Dolphins all knelt during the National Anthem. [295], During the George Floyd protests on June 4, 2020, about 20 players released a video reciting the names of victims, demanding that the NFL condemn racism and admit its policy against peaceful protests were wrong and to affirm that black lives matter. "[24], Kaepernick has said on numerous occasions that the sole purpose of kneeling during the national anthem is not to disrespect the military personnel at all, but rather that his goal is to use his social platform to bring topics regarding police brutality and oppression of people of color to light. [101], On May 23, 2018, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and all NFL team owners, except for two that abstained from voting in a show of hand voting process, approved a new policy that would require all players to stand during the national anthem or be given the option to stay in the locker room during the national anthem. But not until years later when it came time for him to write his own will did he get to publish this song that is now known worldwide. The visiting Green Bay Packers remained in the locker room. It has caused friction. August 1, 2022 @2:27pm (Updated: December 27, 2022 @6:23pm)by Darrelle Lincoln SANTA CLARA, CA OCTOBER 23: Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San [283], During the George Floyd protests, some police officers began kneeling to express solidarity with the protesters, in support of racial justice. [106], On July 19, the NFL and the players association issued a joint statement that "no rules relating to the anthem will be issued for the next several weeks." ", Crawford told reporters after the game that he decided to stand for the anthem this year because "there are so many things going on in the world right now that you can't really be focused on anything else except what's happening with society.". College players generally don't take the field before the national anthem. [195], On July 25, 2020, New York Yankees players Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Hicks both knelt during the anthem becoming the first Yankees players to do so. [159] In response, the NAIA chose to move its Division II men's basketball champion game away from College of the Ozarks' Keeter Gymnasium (where the championship game had been held since 2000) to Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. "[242] Boxer Floyd Mayweather criticized Kaepernick, stating, "You know, a lot of times, we get stuck, and we are followers. The players took a knee to protest the pro-confederate rally that was happening on campus at the time. "[229] In September 2016, after Brandon Marshall knelt during the national anthem, Century Link and Air Academy Federal Credit Union dropped him as a paid sponsor. We respect and support all of our players' constitutional rights and freedom of expression. [274] Shonda Rhimes posted a photo kneeling with the cast of Grey's Anatomy. This was the first time that any member of the Vikings did so. Middleton also raised his fist while kneeling. He explained his decision to switch was an attempt to show more respect to former and current U.S. military members while still protesting during the anthem. [157][158] The NCAA football rulebook does not address the issue of pregame ceremonies (patriotic or otherwise) at all, except to say that team captains must be present for a coin toss three minutes before the first-half kickoff. [226], "Taking a knee" became a wider social phenomenon beyond the sports field and outside of the United States, especially in the wake of actions related to the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder", adding that he would continue to protest during the anthem until he feels like "[the United States flag] represents what it's supposed to represent. At least 21 remained in the locker room. Stay tuned! [122], Bisi Johnson, Tajae Sharpe, Alexander Mattison, Ameer Abdullah, Jalyn Holmes and Nate Meadors of the Minnesota Vikings knelt. [208], Minnesota Wild player Matt Dumba became the first NHL employee to kneel during the Star-Spangled Banner. "The big thing that hit me through all this was this is a backup quarterback whose job is to be quiet, and sit in the shadows and get the starter ready to play Week 1," Dilfer said on Sunday NFL Countdown. He remained in the locker room until the coin toss. 7 In the NFL, Cleveland Browns tight end Seth DeValve is the only White player to kneel to protest the national anthem, though others expressed solidarity by locking arms or touching kneeling players during the anthem, or staying in their locker rooms rather than entering the field. Racism, gun control, mistreatment of immigrants, and a president who spreads hate are at the top of a long list. [222] Fellow congressman Mark Pocan knelt on the floor of the House the next day. WebNFL Players Still Kneeling - YouTube. [169] The two players did not receive any punishment for their protest. That is why we decided to raise our banner during the anthem this season.". Harris was also highly touted college athlete, and prior to the 2015 NFL draft, he was forecasted to go as early as the 2nd round, or as late as the 7th round, and he would likely be the 4th Safety picked. It's too important to not say something. WebWhy are NFL players kneeling? 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