Cleveland unions for 1st responders won’t hold U.S. flag
Members of unions representing Cleveland police officers and paramedics have said they won’t hold a large U.S. flag during pregame ceremonies prior to Sunday’s Cleveland Browns season opener after a group of players knelt during the national anthem before a preseason game last month.
Steve Loomis, president of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association, cited his service in the U.S. Navy when he told WKYC-TV he was astounded that Browns management knew of the protest but allowed it to occur.
“I am not going to participate or work with management that allows their players to disrespect the flag and the national anthem,” Loomis said.
Nearly a dozen Browns players knelt in a circle and prayed in silent protest during the anthem before a preseason home game Aug. 21 against the New York Giants. A smaller group of players placed hands on the shoulders of their kneeling teammates.
A team spokesman issued a statement at halftime that said the organization has a “profound respect” for the national anthem, the U.S. flag and those who serve in the military.
“We feel it’s important for our team to join in this great tradition and special moment of recognition, at the same time we also respect the great liberties afforded by our country, including the freedom of personal expression,” the statement said.
Dan Nemeth, president of the Cleveland Association of Rescue Employees Local 1975, told Cleveland.com he served in the U.S. Marine Corps and finds it “hypocritical” for Browns management to say they support the military while allowing players to kneel during the anthem.
“When I was growing up, we were taught to stand every morning, put our hands over our hearts and say the Pledge of Allegiance,” Nemeth said. Cravens up in the air: Washington placed second-year safety Su’a Cravens on the exempt/left squad list, and his future is in doubt after teammates said he had to be talked out of retiring.
Cravens, penciled in as the starter at strong safety, has been out since Aug. 15 following knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus. He was expected to return to practice this week but instead is expected to now miss the first four weeks of the season.
According to rules clarified by NFL and NFLPA spokesmen, a team has four weeks to decide a course of action for a player with a non-football exemption.
Washington can choose to terminate Cravens’ contract or request waivers, trade him, activate him to their 53-man roster, request a roster exemption from the commissioner or put him on the reserve/left squad list. The final option would rule him out for the season. Bills cut Williams: Add running back Jonathan Williams to the mix of Buffalo draft picks no longer with the Bills. The 2016 fifth-round selection had 121 yards rushing and a touchdown this preseason and was projected to be LeSean McCoy’s primary backup.
Buffalo was required by Sunday to make room for three players acquired on waivers. Bears waive Langford: Chicago waived running back Jeremy Langford, who began last season as a starter.
A fourth-round draft pick in 2015, ankle injuries in training camp this year along with the emergence of Jordan Howard helped make him expendable. Spiller stays with Chiefs: Veteran running back C.J. Spiller is signing with Kansas City, a day after the team cut him, according to a person familiar with the situation. The Chiefs cut Spiller so they could keep cornerback Steven Nelson on the roster, then place him on injured reserve with a designation to return. But they planned to bring back Spiller all along. Steelers get safety: Pittsburgh continued to tinker with its secondary, acquiring safety J.J. Wilcox from Tampa Bay. Wilcox, a fifth-year pro who played the past four seasons with Dallas, was sent to the Steelers in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick in 2018 and a seventh-rounder in 2019. Wilcox had five interceptions across 58 games in four seasons with the Cowboys. More roster moves: Kyle Sloter, who started just nine games at quarterback in college at Northern Colorado but became a preseason sensation when he led the NFL with a 125.4 passer rating, signed with Minnesota’s practice squad. Sloter tweeted his thanks to Denver fans, who made him a cult hero this summer, on the fringes of the Broncos’ quarterback competition between Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch . ... The Cowboys released defensive tackle Cedric Thornton, their most expensive free agent a year ago, and claimed Brian Price off waivers from Green Bay to replace him. Dallas also acquired linebacker Jayrone Elliott from Green Bay for a late-round 2018 draft pick.