Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall has reportedly lost an endorsement following kneeling during the season opener on Thursday night.
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A day after 49ers CEO Jed York pledged $1 million to two Bay Area foundations to improve racial and economic inequities, safety Eric Reid said he viewed it as a strong show of support for the national-anthem stance he’s taken with quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Pregame protestation of the national anthem, “is the right platform”, Marshall asserted in a postgame interview at Mile High Stadium, where the Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers 21-20.
The prevailing thought of #BoycottNFL supporters seems to be that Kaepernick, and other players who choose to be vocal about social justice, racism, and police brutality, should either be silenced and be forced to stand during the national anthem, or kicked off the team. Why?
It’s unclear whether we’ll see any Colts player (s) join Kaepernick and others in kneeling for the national anthem anytime soon, but it sounds like Chuck Pagano would at least understand if a player chose to do so.
Marshall better understands how his protest is viewed as unpatriotic now that The Air Force Academy Federal Credit Union has dropped him as a paid endorser. The statement read, “While we respect Brandon’s right of expression, his actions are not a representation of our organization and membership. We wish Brandon well in his future endeavours”.
“I will also donate to programs for veterans and different things like that”, Marshall said.
“I feel like this is the right platform”. “I’m grateful for all the men and women who have fought and gave their lives and continue to give their lives for that freedom”. “When we have an opinion and we speak it, I feel like a lot of people bash us for what we have to say”.
“I briefly looked at my phone and I already see a lot of hate comments”, he said. Wagner told the media that “anything we want to do, it’s not going to be individual”. I can protest peacefully, I can stand or sit. “I personally believe very strongly in that”.
Marshall said Thursday that he made the calculated decision to kneel during the anthem after discussing it with family and friends, as well as Broncos tight end Virgil Green.
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“We had a good talk this morning”, Kubiak said.
