Lynch’s stance: Sitting for national anthem
In his first game in an Oakland Raiders uniform, Marshawn Lynch didn’t play a down. Yet he provided the most vivid image of the night, sitting for the national anthem before the Raiders’ 20-10 preseason loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Glendale on Saturday.
The former Seattle running back, who came out of retirement to sign with his hometown Raiders, sat on an orange cooler with his arms resting on his knees, eating a banana, while others around him stood.
Lynch was gone from the locker room by the time reporters arrived.
Although he rarely talks to the media, Lynch has voiced support in the past for quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel during the anthem last season to protest what he saw as a pattern of police mistreatment of people of color.
Lynch, who was not in the NFL last season, told talk-show host Conan O’Brien last September about Kaepernick: “I’d rather see him take a knee than stand up, put his hands up and get murdered. My take on it is ... it got to start somewhere, and if that was the starting point, I just hope people open up their eyes and see that it’s really a problem going on and something needs to be done for it to stop. If you really not racist, then you won’t see what (Kaepernick is) doing as a threat to America, but just addressing a problem that we have.”
Oakland coach Jack Del Rio said he spoke to Lynch about the issue after Saturday night’s game.
“He said, ‘This is something I’ve done for 11 years. It’s not a form of anything other than me being myself,’” Del Rio said.
The coach said that he told Lynch, “’Just so you understand how I feel, I very strongly believe in standing for the national anthem, but I’m going to respect you as a man. You do your thing.’”
“So that’s a non-issue for me,” Del Rio said.
On Sunday night, meanwhile, Seahawks defensive lineman Michael Bennett sat alone on the bench while his teammates stood and locked arms on the sideline as the national anthem played before a preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Carson, California.
Jaguars’ Lee injured
Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Marqise Lee was carted off the practice field Sunday with a right-leg injury, a potentially significant setback for a team already without rookie running back Leonard Fournette.
Lee fell to the ground during 7-on-7 drills and immediately grabbed his leg. Linebacker Telvin Smith called for trainers. Lee’s lower leg was immobilized before he was taken off the field on a cart. Coach Doug Marrone had no update after practice.
Fournette, the fourth overall pick in the NFL draft, has a foot injury that Marrone is calling a “nagging issue.” Fournette sat out practice Sunday and is unlikely to work against Tampa Bay in joint practices Monday and Tuesday.
Newton works arm
Panthers quarterback Cam Newton threw passes during Sunday’s team period for the first time in two weeks. Newton participated in red- zone drills but did not throw any long passes while rehabbing from soreness in his right shoulder that stems from rotator cuff surgery in March. It’s unclear whether he will participate in this week’s scrimmages against the Titans or the team’s second preseason game, at Tennessee on Saturday.
Lions defeat Colts
Jake Rudock showed the Detroit Lions he could fill in for Matthew Stafford if needed, taking advantage of the injury-depleted Indianapolis Colts by throwing two touchdown passes to Kenny Golladay, driving the Lions to a short field goal and leading them to a 24-10 victory in their preseason opener Sunday.
The second-year quarterback played most of the first half and wound up 13 of 21 for 142 yards.