Week 5: Guide To NFL Players Who Protested During National Anthem
Vice President Mike Pence engaged in a brazenly shoddy political stunt that likely rejuvenated kneeling protests by NFL players during the national anthem.
Pence attended the San Franciso 49ers vs. Indianopolis Colts game. He left right after the anthem and suggested it had something to do with players from the 49ers who took a knee. But Pence had to catch a plane for a fundraiser in California. This was a pathetic attempt to score political points for President Donald Trump’s administration.
Safety Eric Reid of the 49ers, who joined quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016 to protest police brutality and systemic racism, commented on Pence’s stunt.
“This is what systemic oppression looks like—a man with power comes to the game, tweets a couple things out, and leaves the game with an attempt to thwart our efforts,” Reid declared.
CBS reporter Jason La Canfora also gave a false report on Kaepernick, claiming he said if he returned to the NFL to play for a team he would no longer kneel. The false report was spread widely and accepted as truth. It had the effect of undermining all the credibility Kaepernick had established through his stand.
La Canfora later tweeted that he did not know what Kaepernick would do during the anthem.
Before the Monday Night Football game, former pro football coach Mike Ditka said, “There has been no oppression in the last 100 years that I know of. Now maybe I’m not watching it as carefully as other people.”
Ditka added, “I don’t care who you are, or how much money you make, if you don’t respect our country, then you shouldn’t be in this country playing football. Go to another country and play football. If you had to go to somewhere else and try to play this sport, you wouldn’t have a job. If you can’t respect the flag and this country, then you don’t respect what this is all about. So I would say: Adios.”
The comment came after Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones contended he could bench players if they do not stand for the anthem and respect the flag, which would likely be a violation of the NFL Players Union’s collective bargaining agreement with owners.
Taking a knee started with Kaepernick during the 2016 preseason. NFL owners blackballed Kaepernick. Several of them—including owners who stood with players in Week 3 after Trump slurred players protesting during the anthem—donated to Trump’s inaugural committee or his presidential campaign.
Below is a guide to all the individual players and teams that took action in Week 5:
Arizona Cardinals
Players Who Took a Knee: None.
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
Atlanta Falcons
This was a bye week for the Atlanta Falcons.
Baltimore Ravens
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported.
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
Buffalo Bills
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
Carolina Panthers
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
Chicago Bears
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported.
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
Cincinnati Bengals
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported.
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
Cleveland Browns
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported.
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
Dallas Cowboys
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported, but defensive linemen David Irving and Damontre Moore raised their fists when the anthem concluded. Moore raised his fist in Week 4.
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
Denver Broncos
This was a bye week for the Denver Broncos.
Detroit Lions
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported.
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: Most, if not all players, linked arms during the anthem.
Green Bay Packers
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported.
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: Most, if not all the players, linked arms during the anthem.
Houston Texans
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
Indianapolis Colts
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: All players linked arms.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
Kansas City Chiefs
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported.
Players Who Sat: Wide receiver Albert Wilson, cornerback Marcus Peters, and linebackers Ukeme Eligwe and Tanoh Kpassagnon sat during the anthem. Peters sat in Week 3 and 4.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
Player Statements:
“It’s gonna be what it’s gonna be, bruh, but I’m just getting tired. We need to talk about something new. If y’all wanna talk about the protest, man, give my man Colin Kaepernick a call. And he’ll tell you straight up. Because nobody’s hollered at him and asked him.”
—Cornerback Marcus Peters, who doesn’t believe he should have to explain his protest
Los Angeles Chargers
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported.
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
Los Angeles Rams
Players Who Took A Knee: None, but outside linebacker Robert Quinn put his fist in the air during the anthem while punter Johnny Hekker put his arm on him as a show of solidarity.
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
Miami Dolphins
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported, but wide receiver Kenny Stills, tight end Julius Thomas, and defensive back Michael Thomas remained off the field until the anthem was over. All three took a knee during Week 4.
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
(*Note: Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross reportedly instructed players to stand on the field during the anthem. He said it was “incumbent” to “stand and salute the flag,” if that is what the public wants. “Trump has made [standing for the anthem] about patriotism. It’s so important if that’s what the country is looking at to look at it differently…. It’s a different dialogue. Whenever you’re dealing with the flag, you’re dealing with something different.” So that is likely why Stills, Thomas, and Thomas remained off the field and did not kneel.)
Minnesota Vikings
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported.
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
New England Patriots
All players stood during the anthem on October 5. Right before the anthem, there was a moment of silence for those who were killed and injured in Las Vegas by Stephen Paddock.
New Orleans Saints
This was a bye week for the New Orleans Saints.
New York Giants
Players Who Took A Knee: Defensive end Olivier Vernon took a knee for a third week. And although he did not take a knee, linebacker Keenan Robinson raised a fist during the anthem.
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
New York Jets
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported.
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
Oakland Raiders
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported.
Players Who Sat: Running back Marshawn Lynch sat during the anthem, as he did during Week 4.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
Philadelphia Eagles
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported, but safeties Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod held their right fists up in the air during the anthem. Defensive end Chris Long once again had his arm on Jenkins as a show of solidarity. (Jenkins has done this since Week 2 of last season.)
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported, but wide receiver Antonio Brown has apparently wanted to take a knee but team management, with the support of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, insists on unity.
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
San Francisco 49ers
Players Who Took A Knee: At least twenty players engaged in a demonstration, where one row of players took a knee and another row stood behind them during the anthem. Media did not name the individual players involved.
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
Player Statements:
“First of all, does anybody know the last time he went to a football game? With that being said, he tweeted out a three-year-old photo from the Colts game. With the information I have, the last time he went to a Colts game was three years ago, so this looks like a PR stunt to me. He knew our team has had the most players protest. He knew we were probably going to do it again. And so this is what systemic oppression looks like — a man with power comes to the game, tweets a couple things out and leaves the game with an attempt to thwart our efforts. Again, based on the information I have, that’s the assumption that I made.”
—Safety Eric Reid, reacting to Vice President Pence’s pathetic and sloppy political stunt
Seattle Seahawks
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported.
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
All players stood during the anthem on October 5. Right before the anthem, there was a moment of silence for those who were killed and injured in Las Vegas by Stephen Paddock.
Tennessee Titans
Players Who Took A Knee: None reported, but wide receiver Rishard Matthews remained in the tunnel until the anthem was over, as he did in Week 4.
Players Who Sat: None reported.
Players Who Locked Arms: None reported.
Player Statements:
“It’s unfortunate people are talking about it in a way that they don’t need to be talking about it. They’re just trying to use the military as a distraction, which is unfortunate.” —Wide Receiver Rishard Matthews
Washington Redskins
This was a bye week for the Washington Redskins.
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