USA TODAY International Edition
Cowboys’ DT plans to kneel, talk with Jones
FRISCO, Texas – Cowboys defensive tackle Dontari Poe indicated earlier this summer he was considering kneeling during the national anthem. Sunday, he confirmed that stance. “Yeah I do still plan on kneeling,” Poe said after practice, “but we haven’t had the conversation yet.
“Not saying that anybody else is wrong for not doing it or whatever their cause is. But I just felt like I just wanted to do it for me and the statement I wanted to make.”
Poe plans to talk to owner and general manager Jerry Jones about his desire to kneel, a trend Colin Kaepernick began in 2016 to protest racial injustice and police brutality. Poe indicated the Cowboys had a team meeting where Jones expressed “a couple of feelings.”
“Told us he had an open door for us to talk to him at any time,” Poe said, “so I look forward to taking advantage of that and just getting in his ear and seeing how he’s feeling about it.”
Jones said this month that after his “toe on the line,” no- kneeling stance in previous years, he hadn’t decided a 2020 team policy. But he hoped to find a solution with grace.
Quarterback Dak Prescott said he’ll “100 percent” support teammates who want to kneel.
Several teammates have indicated they aim to present a unified front during the anthem but no final decision has been made.
Jones said he has “rabbit ears” as he listens to the concerns surrounding the debate.
“I want to show the world I can do it with grace and come up with the right solution,” the owner/ general manager added.
The Cowboys signed Poe, Kansas City’s 2011 first- round draft selection, during free agency in March. He arrives in Dallas with 118 starts, 278 tackles, 20.5 sacks and 14 pass deflections across eight seasons. After five seasons with the Chiefs, Poe spent one year in Atlanta and the last two in Carolina. He played at least 13 games each season until last year, when he tore his quad in November.