Did Any NFL Players Kneel Yesterday?
Contents
As the NFL season gets underway, many fans are wondering if any players will kneel during the national anthem. Here’s what we know so far.
Introduction
NFL players have been kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality since 2016, when then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick first took a knee. The protests have continued intermittently over the past four years, with a small but steady number of players taking a knee during the anthem on any given Sunday.
Yesterday, however, saw a significant uptick in the number of players kneeling, as dozens of players from multiple teams took a knee during the anthem in protest of the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed in Minneapolis police custody on Monday. At least three teams – the Seattle Seahawks, Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs – chose to stay in their locker rooms during the anthem altogether.
It remains to be seen if this increase in kneeling will continue in the coming weeks, but it seems likely that more players will kneel in protest as long as racial inequality and police brutality remain major issues in America.
What happened during the NFL game yesterday?
During the NFL game yesterday, two players from the San Francisco 49ers kneeled during the national anthem while most of their teammates locked arms in a show of unity. The two players who kneeled, safety Eric Reid and linebacker Eli Harold, said they were protesting racial inequality and police brutality in the United States. This is not the first time that Reid and Harold have kneeled during the national anthem; they did so several times last season as well.
How did the players react?
The answer to this question largely depends on which team you ask. Some teams, like the San Francisco ers, chose to kneel during the national anthem yesterday in a show of protest against racial injustice. Other teams, like the New York Giants, chose to stand together with linked arms. And still other teams, like the Pittsburgh Steelers, chose to stay in the locker room during the anthem altogether.
What was the reaction from the fans?
The fan reactions were varied, but there were definitely more fans booing the players who kneeled than cheering them on. There were also a lot of fans who left the stadium early, which might be a sign that they weren’t pleased with the protest.
Conclusion
It is clear that the NFL players who knelt yesterday did so in peaceful protest against racial injustice in America. They were joined by many others, including NFL staff members, in a show of solidarity. The kneeling players represented a wide range of teams and included both white and black athletes. This display of unity sends a strong message that the NFL is committed to combating racism and supporting its players’ right to peacefully protest.
