Kneeling with purpose
Texans’ Stills prayed during anthem as form of silent social protest but touched few nerves
It was the same from coast to coast, Los Angeles to Baltimore, and even across the pond in London. Regular season with high school marching bands like the Conroe Tigers, or perfection in the playoffs with the CavelleNell Romeo.
It mattered not whether it was Tanya Tucker crooning in Nashville, or a little country twang from Lyle Lovett or the soulful spirituality of Kam Franklin at NRG Stadium.
From amateur contest winners to the operatic beauty of seasoned professionals, the national anthem at Texans’ games went off without a hitch.
Yet, every Texans home game featured a singular, powerful action that was more meaningful than any of the wonderful singing performances.
Kenny Stills knelt in prayer. The earth didn’t stop spinning. The republic didn’t crumble. And neither did thousands nor hundreds nor tens of fans — not even a handful as far as anyone can tell — stomp out of the stadium in disgust.
Stills’ position against social injustice and police brutality shouldn’t be all that controversial, but this is America.
Stills arrived in Houston via a trade just before the start of the NFL season without a strong impression of what the city was like, but he was surprised by its diversity and acceptance.
A Minnesota native, who grew up in Southern California, Stills got a taste of Dallas while he played college football at Oklahoma and has found Houston more to his liking.
In his first season with the Texans, Houston didn’t seem to take much issue with his method of protest.
Stills, who played with the Dolphins the previous four seasons, started kneeling during the anthem in 2016, along with former Miami teammate and Houston native Michael Thomas, just after Colin Kaepernick first took a knee.
Kaepernick hasn’t played in the NFL since that season. Stills continues to kneel.
He didn’t see the same nastiness he has faced through the years in Houston.
“Surprisingly, Houston has been the most loving, welcoming to me as far as the protests are taking me,” Stills said. “Obviously, I did it in every game. And there wasn’t much noise compared to the last couple of years.
“I think people are starting to understand who I am and understanding the protests, but also understanding how ignorant you make yourself look and sound when you’re screaming at somebody during the national anthem. I think people are a little bit more conscious and aware of how they make themselves look by the reaction.”
The Texans supported Stills and defended his right to take a knee. Regardless, Stills said he would sacrifice his career, if need be, because the issue is that important to him.
“There hasn’t been much flak. … It’s a lot of people just shaking my hand and, you know, giving me a hug and saying they love and appreciate the work that we’re doing and just keep it up,” Stills said.
The work has been outstanding, and Stills is just getting started. It is admirable that he has continued to push, considering how much he has to lose. We’re talking more than a football career.
For the nerve of demanding justice and equality, and working to help build a system that delivers that, he has received death threats.
The Kenny Stills Foundation has a stated mission of being
“committed to empowering underserved communities, improving quality of life and creating opportunity through education and enriching experience.” Those aren’t hollow words. Stills is a thinking man — not a thinking man for a football player — a thinking man. His is a hands-on approach where communication is key.
Stills also happens to be a very good football player. He had 40 catches for 561 yards and four touchdowns, while leading the Texans in yards per catch (14.0).
He would rather discuss his community efforts, where his mentorship program is about bridging the gap with law enforcement. He hopes to expand his work to larger programs in Houston.
“We’re really trying to cut down on the homicide rates between black and brown people,” he said. “Specifically here in Houston, I’d like to help build a program that rewards officers for bringing down crime in their neighborhoods, without making arrests. (The goal is) to reach them before crimes are committed, pointing them to programs and services that can prevent the crime from happening in the first place.
“If we can prevent the crime from happening, we’re actually making a change in our community, instead of just arresting people for statistics.”
Stills’ annual offseason trip through a host of cities to see the challenges some face up close is noteworthy. He brings friends, activist and teammates on the educational journey — a working pilgrimage.
“We want to show young black and brown people that you can you can be the ones that are protecting and serving your own communities,” Stills said. “We want to highlight good police officers and good policing, while bringing down crime in our communities.”
Stills’ protest is much more than simply taking a knee during a song. It is bigger than sports.
Stills said if a person can do a deed a day, he can change the world.
Kneeling during a Clay Walker rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” is just one of Stills’ deeds on game day.
He has done and is doing so much more.