As violinist Lindsey Stirling played “The Star Spangled Banner”, Kaepernick and teammate Eric Reid remained on a knee.
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Colin Kaepernick (r.) and teammate Eric Reid kneel as the national anthem is played before Monday night’s 49ers-Rams game in San Francisco.
At the conclusion of the previous Monday Night Football game between the Steelers and Redskins, announcers Jon Gruden and Sean McDonough praised Steelers lineman Alejandro Villanueva, who served three tours of duty in Afghanistan, by noting that he sang along with the anthem before the game.
Opening Day for the NFL saw another round of gestures and protests during the national anthem, including some players who knelt rather than stood for it.
Dilfer’s blast was even more pointed, as the former quarterback said that Kaepernick “is a backup QB whose job is be quiet and sit in the shadows”, while claiming that the controversy has “torn at the fabric of the team”.
On Sunday Jelani Jenkins, Arian Foster, Michael Thomas, and Kenny Stills of the Miami Dolphins kneeled before their game against the Seattle Seahawks.
In Kansas, Marcus Peters raised a gloved fist before his team’s game against the San Diego Chargers, while New England Patriots’ Devin McCourty and Martellus Bennett did the same – as did several Tennessee Titans players before their game against Minnesota. “I think that as a community, that makes us uncomfortable”, said Fletcher. Taking a knee or sitting during the national anthem isn’t against NFL rules.
Bethea said that, with the leadership of 49ers owner Jed York, a plan is being formulated to connect team leaders and possibly members of the team’s front office with civic leaders and possibly law enforcement in the Bay Area. ‘Protest all you want and use social medial all you want.
“I chose to get involved to see if I could create change, raise awareness”. “I would like to keep moving forward in the right direction with everybody: equal rights, equal opportunity”. “I don’t think it’s wrong; I think they should just stand”, freshman Anthony Medina said.
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Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he hadn’t seen the comments but respected Jones’ right to criticize. The players protested as military personnel held up a football-field-sized flag feet above the field.
