Four Miami Dolphins players, including Arian Foster, took a knee during the national anthem in Seattle on Sunday — a decision owner Stephen Ross fully supports.
Not surprisingly, there was plenty of criticism heaved at the players, given the fact that it was the 15th anniversary of the tragic September 11 attacks that rocked the nation. Many viewed the players’ action as disrespectful, especially in light of the very prominent displays of patriotism in stadiums throughout the league.
Making things even more interesting is the fact that, on the other sideline, the Seattle Seahawks all joined arms and stood together, including cornerback Jeremy Lane, who had sat in Week 4 of the preseason.
The juxtaposition of one sideline joined as one and another disjointed was salient.
When asked about his players choosing to kneel, even on such a day, Ross made it clear he believes his player still respect the flag and the day of remembrance.
Dolphins owner Steve Ross spoke with players before their protest, and supports their decision. pic.twitter.com/wWnqYCPWeu
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) September 11, 2016
It will be interesting to see what happens on Monday night when the San Francisco 49ers take on the Los Angeles Rams. Colin Kaepernick started this movement by sitting during the anthem during the preseason. He was asked about it and finally started to talk about the police brutality against minorities that plagues the nation (watch here).
One wonders if the movement will continue to grow after this weekend as well. Perhaps there were many players who are interested in kneeling with Kaepernick but did not want to make that move on Sunday, given the date.
Whichever side of the fence you find yourself on today, let’s all be grateful that we do live in the land of the free, the home of the brave.