What NFL Players Are Still Kneeling?

As the NFL season begins, there are still a handful of players who are kneeling during the national anthem in protest. Here’s a look at who they are and why they’re still doing it.

Introduction

Since 2016, NFL players have been taking a knee during the National Anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality. The protests have continued through the 2017 and 2018 seasons, with some players choosing to stay in the locker room during the anthem while others raise their fists in the air. Here is a list of NFL players who are still kneeling or protesting in some way during the National Anthem:

-Eric Reid, San Francisco 49ers
-Colin Kaepernick, free agent
– Malik Johnson, free agent
– Brandon Marshall, free agent
– Michael Bennett, free agent

Kaepernick’s original purpose for kneeling

When then-49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick first took a knee during the national anthem in 2016, he said he was “not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.”

Since then, other NFL players have joined him in protesting during the anthem, often receiving criticism from President Donald Trump and others.

In June 2020, after the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed in police custody, Kaepernick tweeted that his kneeling “was always about fighting police brutality and systemic racial injustice.”

At least a dozen NFL players have said they will kneel during the national anthem this season. Here are some of them:

– Michael Bennett, defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys
– Malcolm Jenkins, safety for the New Orleans Saints
– Kenny Stills, wide receiver for the Houston Texans
– Justin Reid, safety for the Houston Texans
– Anquan Boldin, former wide receiver

Players who have continued to kneel

Since the 2016 season, a number of NFL players have chosen to kneel during the national anthem as a way to protest police brutality and racial inequality. While some players have since stopped kneeling, others have continued to do so, despite criticism from President Donald Trump and other fans.

Here are some of the NFL players who have continued to kneel during the national anthem:

-Colin Kaepernick: The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback was the first player to kneel during the national anthem, doing so before a 2016 preseason game. He has not played in the NFL since that season and has filed a grievance against the league, alleging that team owners colluded to keep him out of the league.
-Eric Reid: A former teammate of Kaepernick’s with the 49ers, Reid joined in on the protests in 2016 and has continued to kneel during the national anthem throughout his career. He is currently a free agent but has said he will continue to kneel if he is signed by another team.
-Michael Bennett: The veteran defensive end, who most recently played for the Philadelphia Eagles, began kneeling during the national anthem in 2017. He was traded to the New England Patriots in March but was subsequently released before ever playing a game for them.
-Marshawn Lynch: The former Seattle Seahawks running back came out of retirement in 2017 and chose to sit during the national anthem before games. He did not stand for the anthem at any point during his brief return to football.

Reasons for continued kneeling

Players have cited a number of reasons for why they choose to kneel during the anthem. Some say they are protesting police brutality and racial inequality, while others say they are standing up for the right to freedom of expression.

Some players have also said that they see kneeling as a way to bring attention to the issues of social injustice and racism in America. San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid, one of the first players to join Kaepernick in taking a knee, said in an interview with ESPN in September 2017 that he views kneeling “as a declaration of my independence.”

“It’s crazy that we have to go through this,” Reid said. “I’m not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color… To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”

Other players have joined Reid in taking a knee during the anthem as a way to protest police brutality and racial inequality. In September 2016, then-49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began sitting or kneeling during the national anthem as a way to bring attention to social injustice. He later explained that he chose to kneel because he felt it was a more respectful form of protest than sitting.

Reactions to players kneeling

Since President Donald Trump’s criticism of NFL players kneeling during the national anthem, several players have continued to kneel or link arms in solidarity.

Here are some of the players who have chosen to kneel or link arms since Trump’s remarks:

-Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett
-Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan, who linked arms with players
-Los Angeles Rams defensive end Robert Quinn, who raised his fist during the national anthem
-Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch, who sat during the national anthem
– Miami Dolphins wide receivers Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson, who kneeled during the national anthem
-Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins, who raised his fist during the national anthem