A roundup of the social media comments, and national anthem protests and shows of unity across the NFL on Sunday:
Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue
Ex-NFL commish Paul Tagliabue: "To single out any particular group of players and call them SOBs, to me that's insulting and disgraceful."
— Josh Katzenstein (@jkatzenstein)
ATLANTA FALCONS
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Ravens and Jaguars players locked arms while others knelt for the national anthem prior to the game in London.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter)
8:15 a.m.
owner Steve Bisciotti says he “100 percent” supports his players’ decision to kneel during the national anthem ahead of Sunday’s game against the at Wembley.
At least seven Ravens players and more than a dozen Jaguars players took a knee during the anthem while the rest of the players stood locked arm-in-arm in an apparent response to President Donald Trump, who said this week that NFL owners should fire those who disrespected the American flag.
But the Ravens issued a statement from Bisciotti minutes after kickoff, saying: “We recognize our players’ influence. We respect their demonstration and support them 100 percent. All voices need to be heard. That’s democracy in its highest form.”
7:30 a.m.
About two dozen players, including Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs and Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette, took a knee during the playing of the national anthem before the start of the teams’ game at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.
Other players on one knee during the performance included Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley, wide receiver and safety Lardarius Webb as well as Jaguars linebacker Dante Fowler, defensive tackle Calais Campbell, defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
Players on both teams and Jaguars owner Shad Khan, who were not kneeling, remained locked arm-in-arm throughout the playing of the national anthem and “God Save The Queen,” the national anthem of Britain.
No players were kneeling during the playing of the British national anthem.
— The Associated Press
BUFFALO BILLS
Statement from Buffalo Bills Owners Terry and Kim Pegula.
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills)
Love. Unity. Equality.
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills)
CAROLINA PANTHERS
Julius Peppers explains
— Bill Voth (@BillVothNFL)
CHICAGO BEARS
CINCINNATI BENGALS
CLEVELAND BROWNS
Statement from Dee and Jimmy Haslam
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns)
DALLAS COWBOYS
https://twitter.com/SInow/status/912473528351559680
DENVER BRONCOS
Vance Joseph addresses Trump comments during Broncos' team meeting
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala)
https://www.instagram.com/p/BZbYbqSBfHO/
Trevor Siemian said he fully supports his teammates who protested.
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala)
Von Miller said Trump's comments were an attack on the NFL and "an assault on our most cherished right, freedom of speech."
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala)
DETROIT LIONS
DETROIT — Several Detroit Lions players kneeled during the national anthem and linked arms with standing players, the coach and team owner — part of a unified protest against comments made by President Donald Trump.
The team’s actions came Sunday before the game against the Atlanta Falcons, which also had some players kneeling and team members locking arms.
Many teams reacted similarly to Trump, who criticized players protesting during the anthem. He suggested that Friday NFL owners should fire players who kneel.
Lions owner Martha Firestone Ford was among numerous owners to issue statements supporting the players’ right to protest.
After belting out “brave,” Lions’ anthem singer Rico Lavelle bent to his knee, bowed his head and raised a fist.
Some fans booed at Ford Field during the actions.
— The Associated Press
GREEN BAY PACKERS
Posted on 's Instagram. Notice the response from Tom Brady
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala)
HOUSTON TEXANS
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Statement from Owner on recent events:
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts)
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
9:15 a.m.
Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan calls it a privilege to stand arm-in-arm with players during the national anthem in London.
Khan stood between tight end and linebacker Telvin Smith at Wembley Stadium and then released a statement to express his support for players. Coaches and other team personnel from both teams did the same before the game against the Ravens.
About two dozen players on both teams kneeled, something President Donald Trump has said owners should fire players for.
“It was a privilege to stand on the sidelines with the Jacksonville Jaguars today for the playing of the U.S. national anthem at Wembley Stadium,” Khan said. “I met with our team captains prior to the game to express my support for them, all NFL players and the league following the divisive and contentious remarks made by President Trump, and was honored to be arm in arm with them, their teammates and our coaches during our anthem.”
— The Associated Press
Unity
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars)
Statement from our Owner Shad Khan:
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars)
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
https://twitter.com/ShaunKing/status/912122898806124544
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
LOS ANGELES RAMS
Statement from Rams Owner/Chairman E. Stanley Kroenke.
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL)
MIAMI DOLPHINS
A handful of players are wearing black T-shirts supporting free agent quarterback during pregame warm-ups.
The shirts have “#IMWITHKAP” written in bold white lettering on the front.
Kaepernick was the first athlete to refuse to stand during the national anthem as a protest. This season, no team has signed him, and some supporters believe NFL owners are avoiding him because of the controversy.
Among the players sporting the shirts before their game against the are wide receiver , running back and offensive linemen Laremy Tunsil and Ja’Wuan James. Stills, also a team captain, posted a photo on Twitter of himself wearing the shirt, along with the post: “In case you didn’t know!”
— AP Sports Writer Dennis Waszak reporting from East Rutherford, New Jersey
Several Miami Dolphins players are wearing black, "IMWITHKAP" T-shirt on the field for warmups today.
— James Walker (@JamesWalkerNFL)
CB Byron Maxwell is among the first players on the field for warmups. Miami's secondary must cover better, including Maxwell.
— James Walker (@JamesWalkerNFL)
Dolphins safety Michael Thomas started breaking up when talking about Trump calling him "a son of a b!tch."
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly)
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
CB Xavier Rhodes just told me they are planning to interlock arms during the anthem.
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson)
Minnesota Vikings Harrison Smith locked arms with GM Rick Spielman, owners Mark Wilf & Zygi Wilf during the National Anthem.
— Carlos Gonzalez (@CarlosGphoto)
MINNEAPOLIS — With NFL owners and players around the league condemning President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about national anthem protests, the Minnesota Vikings have put forth their own show of unity.
The Vikings stood along their sideline with arms locked together during the “Star Spangled Banner” on Sunday before their game against Tampa Bay. Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf and general manager Rick Spielman joined players in locking arms on the field.
No Minnesota players were spotted taking a knee, as Buccaneers wide receivers Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson did in front of the visiting bench and several others have done around the league since Colin Kaepernick started the trend last season.
The Wilfs said they support the right of Vikings players, coaches and staff to “respectfully and peacefully express their beliefs.”
— The Associated Press
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Statement from Chairman & CEO Robert Kraft:
— New England Patriots (@Patriots)
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Pelicans statement
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA)
https://twitter.com/MichaelDeMocker/status/911999622398259200
NEW YORK GIANTS
Giants: Landon Collins, Damon Harrison and Olivier Vernon all took a knee as the anthem played. The rest of the team locked arms.
— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks)
https://twitter.com/SNYGiants/status/912120494698016769
NEW YORK JETS
Acting Jets owner Christopher Johnson shows leadership, grace by linking arms with players during national anthem
— NY Daily News Sports (@NYDNSports)
OAKLAND RAIDERS
United.
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders)
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Jeffrey Lurie believes sports can be a great unifier. He joined the team before for the National Anthem.
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles)
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin reveals to that the team will not be participating in today's national anthem.
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS)
Former Army Ranger Alejandro Villanueva stood outside the tunnel alone during the national anthem.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter)
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
— Seahawks PR (@seahawksPR)
No players on the field. takes a knee after singing national anthem in Nashville.
— Jason Wolf🐺🌵 (@JasonWolf)
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
TENNESSEE TITANS
https://twitter.com/ShaunKing/status/912047826401681408
Titans WR @_RMatthews to wear 'We are one' cleats, expressing stance against racial inequality and promoting unity:
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe)
WASHINGTON REDSKINS
Unity.
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders)
A statement from the Washington Redskins.
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders)
NFL
Inside these lines, we can bring out the best in each other and live united.
— NFL (@NFL)
