Week two of the 2016 NFL season saw more players join in the growing protest of the national anthem.
What started in the preseason with Colin Kaepernick is now gaining strength two weeks into the NFL season.
Players from the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans joined in silent protest demonstrations this past Sunday before playing their games.
Kaepernick saw five more of his 49ers teammates join in protest with Eric Reid kneeling down with him while Antoine Bethea, Jaquiski Tartt, Eli Harold and Rashard Robinson chose to raise their fists.
Arian Foster, Kenny Stills and Michael Thomas of the Miami Dolphins also took knees before their game against the New England Patriots. Tennessee Titans players Jason McCourty and Jurrell Casey went the raised fist route before their game against the Detroit Lions.
The raised fist gesture dates back to the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City when African-American track runners Tommie Smith and John Carlos protested America’s treatment of Black during their medal ceremony.
Denver Broncos player Brandon Marshall continued his protest as well. He is the first NFL player to reportedly lose a sponsorship over his actions. Seeing as how it was from a military credit union, it kind of made sense for that happen. Russell Simmons has come forward to offer Marshall a potential RUSHCARD sponshorship.
The protests have already crossed sports lines with NBA players Jabari Parker and Iman Shumert supporting Kaepernick and vowing to take a knee once their seasons begin.
Detractors of the protests have ranged from fans threatening to boycott the NFL to Kid Rock straight up saying “f*ck Colin Kaepernick” to NFL analyst Trent Dilfer saying Kapernick should just be quiet and say nothing.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith blew the whistle on the NFL’s fake patriotism by reporting that the league has taken millions of dollars from the military to make players stand on the field during the national anthem. Up until 2009, players stayed in the locker room while the song was played.
While Kaepernick has explained exactly what he is protesting, Dolphins running back Arian Foster continued the conversation after his protest.
“I make one thing clear that it’s not about the symbology that people are mad about, it’s about the message and it’s about who’s saying it,” says Foster. “Because if it’s about a knee that people are upset about, every Sunday people of faith take a knee to give thanks to their lord and savior.”
Check out video of Foster speaking the truth after the jump.
Photo: AP
