And then there were three….three NFL protesters to be exact.
Three months after nearly 300 NFL players, coaches, and executives, protested the national anthem in response to President Trump’s criticisms of NFL anthem protesters; only three players knelt during our nations’s song for the early games of Week 15.
According to the Associated Press, “Giants defensive end Olivier Vernon was the only player to kneel during the “The Star-Spangled Banner” before New York hosted Philadelphia, and Miami Dolphins receiver Kenny Stills and tight end Julius Thomas took a knee prior to Miami’s game at Buffalo , according to the Miami Herald. All three have been protesting most of the season.
“Roughly a couple dozen Saints, as they have since Week 4, knelt before the national anthem and then stood up as the song started prior to their home game against the Jets.
“No players from the Saints or Jets knelt during the anthem.”
The number of players protesting greatly decreased after the networks stopped showing the playing of the national anthem. Other players stopped protesting after the league came to an agreement with players representatives, in which the league promised to spend nearly $90 million dollars on social justice causes.
Though, some controversy surrounds that decision, given that the NFL is reportedly procuring money for that donation by taking funds away from the “Salute to Service” and “Breast Cancer Awareness” programs.
Colin Kaepernick, the former 49er quarterback who began the anthem protests in the preseason of 2016, remains unemployed.
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