Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall decided to make a statement during Thursday’s season opening game.
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Before Thursday night’s NFL season opener in Denver, Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall took a knee as the national anthem blared throughout Mile High Stadium, making him the first player to do so with a national audience looking on. National Anthem at NFL games%INLINE%.
On Friday morning, the negative impact of his decision to kneel has happened when Air Academy Federal Credit Union released him from his endorsement contract deal, in which he became AAFCU’s official spokesperson in May.
The AAFCU is an organization geared toward assisting military families, and was chartered in 1955 as a way to serve the Air Force Academy’s cadets and officers and their civilian relatives. “I knew what it came with”, Marshall said. “We wish Brandon well on his future endeavours”, Strebe wrote. This was the right platform. “If I lose an Under Armour endorsement – that’s the only endorsement I have – I wouldn’t be anxious about it because to me, in my heart, I’m doing something that’s in benefit of a lot of people”. “I personally believe very strongly in that”. “Brandon has a right to his beliefs and I’m going to focus on the football”.
Marshall is the third NFL player to not stand during the national anthem since Kaepernick began his sideline protest against racial injustice and police brutality. “Some people are going to stand by me, some people aren’t”.
Marshall said last week that he supports Kaepernick’s decision to kneel during the national anthem.
“I’m not against the military, I’m not against America”, he said.
During the singing of the anthem before an August 20 preseason game, Marshall stood with his hand over his heart.
“I feel like what Kaepernick started, it’s a handsome thing. I had a lot of positive text messages, but as far as social media, I had a lot of negative, racist comments”, he said. “He is a leader of this team”, Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak said after the game.
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Marshall also added he would be donating an “undisclosed amount” of money to charity, something Kaepernick has also pledged.
