NFL players protest at Trump’s ‘fire them’ call
UNITED STATES: American footballers staged a nationwide protest against President Donald Trump yesterday after he called for fans to boycott the NFL if the national anthem was ‘‘disrespected’’.
At games across the country, and beginning with the first NFL match of the day, at London’s Wembley Stadium, players knelt, raised clenched fists, or linked arms in shows of unity – and one team refused to come out of the locker room.
The controversy began last year when Colin Kaepernick, then quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, refused to stand for The Star-spangled Banner before games in protest at shootings of black people by white police officers.
A handful of other players had since followed suit.
Yesterday, Trump tweeted: ‘‘If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our flag and country, you will see change take place fast. Fire or suspend!’’
His comments resulted in a rare moment of unified opposition to him as NFL players, who are predominantly black, were supported by predominantly white owners.
At Wembley, two dozen players from the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars knelt as the US national anthem played while others, including Shahid Khan, the Jaguars owner, stood and locked arms.
Everyone on both teams stood for God Save the Queen.
Khan, a billionaire born in Pakistan who also owns Fulham football club, was the first owner to stand alongside his players. A Republican who had donated to Trump, he called Trump’s comments ‘‘divisive’’ and said it was an ‘‘honour’’ to link arms with his team at Wembley.
Hours later, at NFL games across America, the protests were repeated as teams, including the Miami Dolphins, locked arms while some of their players knelt or raised their arms.
The backlash included Tom Brady, one of the country’s most recognisable quarterbacks, and a friend of Trump’s, linking arms with his New England Patriots team-mates and placing his hand on his heart.
Robert Kraft, owner of the Patriots, and also a friend of Trump’s, said: ‘‘I am deeply disappointed by the tone of the comments made by the president. There is no greater unifier in this country than sport and, unfortunately, nothing more divisive than politics.
‘‘Our players are intelligent, thoughtful and care deeply about our community and I support their right to peacefully effect social change and raise awareness in a manner that they feel is most impactful,’’ Kraft said.
Meanwhile, the entire Pittsburgh Steelers team – aside from Alejandro Villanueva, an exarmy ranger – decided to stay in their dressing room for the anthem so players ‘‘don’t have to make a choice’’ on standing.
Mike Tomlin, the coach, said: ‘‘We’re not going to play politics. We’re football players, we’re football coaches. This is not to be disrespectful to the anthem, but to remove ourselves from this circumstance. People shouldn’t have to choose.’’
Martha Firestone Ford, owner of the Detroit Lions, said: ‘‘Our game has long provided a powerful platform for dialogue and positive change in many communities throughout our nation.
‘‘Negative and disrespectful comments suggesting otherwise are contrary to the founding principles of our country.’’
And Rex Ryan, former coach of the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills, who once introduced Trump at a campaign rally in Buffalo, said he now regretted doing so.
He said: ‘‘I’m p----- off, I’ll be honest with you. I’m reading these comments and it’s appalling to me, and I’m sure it’s appalling to almost any citizen in our country. It should be.’’
Trump was cheered by supporters in Alabama on Saturday as he said: ‘‘Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, you’d say, ‘Get that son of a b---- off the field right now. Out! He’s fired.’’’
Roger Goodell, the NFL commissioner, who heads the league, said: ‘‘Later the team from Oakland said they would travel to the nation’s capital.’’
A spokesman said they would use the trip to ‘‘celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion’’.
Bruce Maxwell, a catcher with the Oakland Athletics, became the first Major League baseball player to kneel for the anthem in protest at Trump’s comments. Maxwell is black and from a military family. His team stated they ‘‘respect and support’’ his protest.
– Telegraph Group