Three Miami Dolphins players silently protested during the national anthem on Sunday ahead of their home game against the Tennessee Titans in what were the first demonstrations of the 2018 National Football League season.
Miami Dolphins wide receivers Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson knelt during the anthem, which according to ESPN reporter Cameron Wolfe was in protest of social injustice and police brutality. Their teammate Robert Quinn raised a fist.
Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson are kneeling during the national anthem in protest of social injustice and police brutality. Robert Quinn is raising a fist.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) September 9, 2018
Stills and Wilson both refused to stand during “The Star-Spangled Banner” in the preseason and indicated they would continue to protest during the regular season as well, according to USA Today.
The NFL is expected to wait until after the conclusion of this season to implement a new policy regarding on-field demonstrations because there has been too much disagreement on how to handle the controversial issue, ESPN reported earlier Sunday.
President Trump tweeted before kickoff on how football viewership was trending downward because of the players’ antics.
“Wow, NFL first game ratings are way down over an already really bad last year comparison. Viewership declined 13%, the lowest in over a decade,” he wrote. “If the players stood proudly for our Flag and Anthem, and it is all shown on broadcast, maybe ratings could come back? Otherwise worse!”
[Opinion: The NFL is a victim of its own passing success]
Wow, NFL first game ratings are way down over an already really bad last year comparison. Viewership declined 13%, the lowest in over a decade. If the players stood proudly for our Flag and Anthem, and it is all shown on broadcast, maybe ratings could come back? Otherwise worse!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 9, 2018
No players from the Philadelphia Eagles or the Atlanta Falcons took a knee during the national anthem in the season opener on Thursday. However, Eagles defensive end Michael Bennett did sit on the bench near the end.
The protests were started by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick to highlight worsening race relations in the country. Critics see them as a slight to the American flag and U.S. military veterans.
Kaepernick gave a nod to both Stills and Wilson in a tweet Sunday.
[Related: Nike makes Colin Kaepernick the face of its annual ‘Just Do It’ campaign]
My Brothers @kstills and @ithinkisee12 continue to show their unwavering strength by fighting for the oppressed! They have not backed down, even when attacked and intimidated. Their courage will move the world forward!
“Love is at the root of our resistance!”✊? pic.twitter.com/2kSsX4s7EU
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) September 9, 2018
