According to safety Malcolm Jenkins, the Philadelphia Eagles had a specific reason for avoiding protests during the national anthem before last Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns. There’s been conversations that we’ve had of, what do we want to do?
Advertisement
“For me, it has nothing to do with this country or the flag or the anthem in itself”, Jenkins said. “Listen, I can appreciate everybody’s opinions and I respect everybody’s opinions, but at the same time, I feel that (the national anthem) is important and it’s obviously out of respect for the men and women of our country that sacrifice in order for us to coach and play this great game”.
Jenkins said on the radio that he spoke with Pederson the team’s plans for Monday.
Pederson, who said in the past he frowned on players kneeling or sitting during the anthem as a political protest, said he would be a part of anything the entire team participates in to draw attention to social injustice and inequality in the United States. “Really it’s just to continue to push forward the conversation about social injustice, and that’s a range of things from police brutality to wages and job opportunities, education”.
“Listen, we’re not ideal, obviously, and for us to stand united that way, I’d go for that”.
Jenkins said players need to talk more before deciding upon what form the protest would take, whether everyone would take part or players would protest individually. “Malcolm and I have talked about this and it’s going to happen regardless of what I decide or say, and I respect the players’ decisions on it”. Jenkins said they chose not to make any statement during the anthem last week because they did not want their statement to be misinterpreted on 9/11. Pederson has an open-door policy with players, and he was glad Jenkins met with him. Everybody has their right to either protest or whatever they are going to do. He also said he has spoken to coach Doug Pederson.
The discussion began in the preseason when San Franciscco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick opted not to stand for the anthem.
“I’m not sure”, Jenkins said when asked exactly how the players intended on expressing themselves. The biggest thing is I don’t want it to become a distraction to the rest of the team. “But I think now that everybody has sort of embraced it and knows that it’s going to happen, I think everybody is braced for it, so it won’t be a distraction”.
Advertisement
That will continue if Eagles players protest the anthem at Soldier Field. “There’s a lot of guys that want to speak out and want to be a part of the movement, but just aren’t sure about which way they want to go about doing that'”. Down to only cornerbacks with McKelvin sidelined, Pederson said the Eagles will not add a cornerback for Monday’s game.
