4:14
- ABC News
- Donald Trump
- September 24, 2017
NFL teams respond to Trump with nonparticipation
The Pittsburgh team stayed in the locker room during anthem.
4:14
Brady also posted on Instagram a supportive message to all NFL players.
A post shared by Tom Brady (@tombrady) on Sep 24, 2017 at 6:14am PDT
A game played at Wembley Stadium in London was a matchup between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Baltimore Ravens. Among the players and coaches locking arms with players during the protest over the U.S. national anthem was Jaguars owner Shahid Khan.
Jaguars tight end Mercedes Lewis and linebackers Telvin Smith and Dante Fowler as well as defensive tackle Calais Campbell and defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and cornerback Jalen Ramsey all took knees as did Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley, wide receiver Mike Wallace and safety Lardarius Webb.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/Sports/baltimore-ravens-kneeling-protest-2-ap-jt-170924_4x3t_384.jpg\")
The ones who didn't kneel stood arm-in-arm throughout the playing of both country's anthems. The team's official Twitter account posted a one-word tweet \"Unity\" to capture the moment.
Unity pic.twitter.com/wSNsc4BSEV
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) September 24, 2017
Khan himself released a statement calling Trump remarks as \"divisive and contentious\" and declared his support for his players after meeting with some of them before the game. He said he was \"honored to be arm in arm with them, their teammates and our coaches during our anthem.\"
The owner added that the team and the NFL \"reflects our nation\" said that it was personally important \"to show the world that even if we may differ at times, we can and should be united in the effort to become better as people and a nation.\"
The anthem protest in Britain had dozens of players on both sides of the field including Baltimore Ravens kneeling when “The Star-Spangled Banner” was performed but standing when Britain's national anthem \"God Save the Queen,\" witnesses and The Associated Press reported.
Several Jaguars and Ravens players at Wembley kneel for the US National anthem, stand for the British national anthem.
— Henry Hodgson (@nflukhank) September 24, 2017
The protests come in response to the president's comments at a rally Friday night in Alabama when he said: \"Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say: 'Get that son of a b---- off the field right now, out.\"
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/Sports/jacksonville-jaguars-kneeling-protest-1-ap-jt-170924_4x3t_384.jpg\")
The president then appeared to channel his signature command from when he hosted the reality television show \"The Apprentice.\"
\"He's fired. He's fired.\"
On Sunday, before NFL games kicked off, the president's tweets reinforced his anti-anthem protest message.
He also suggested that if fans refuse to go to games due to the protests, \"you will see change fast.\"
...NFL attendance and ratings are WAY DOWN. Boring games yes, but many stay away because they love our country. League should back U.S.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2017
If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast. Fire or suspend!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2017
On Saturday night, the president went after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for criticizing Trump's condemnation of kneeling players.
Goodell is \"trying to justify the total disrespect certain players show to our country,\" Trump tweeted.
Roger Goodell of NFL just put out a statement trying to justify the total disrespect certain players show to our country.Tell them to stand!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017
The NFL commissioner did not mention the president by name in his statement Saturday.
\"Divisive comments like these demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL, our great game and all of our players, and a failure to understand the overwhelming force for good our clubs and players represent in our communities,\" Goodell said.
The NFL also announced that it would re-air its commercial from February, \"Inside These Lines,\" promoting societal unity and tolerance. \"It reflects the unifying force of our great game, our players & clubs,\" Goodell said on Twitter.
We will air this Unity spot in tonight’s game. It reflects the unifying force of our great game, our players & clubs https://t.co/koMm8q0vio
— Roger Goodell (@nflcommish) September 24, 2017
In the commercial spot, Academy Award-winning actor Forrest Whittaker narrates as various lines are chalked on the grass.
Just as Jacksonville Jaguars’ defensive end Eli Ankou, who is black, lifts opposing Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, who is white, off the turf, Whittaker softly states: “We may have our differences but recognize there’s more that unites us.”
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