Rodgers asks Packers fans to lock arms

Quarterback would like to see show of unity in Green Bay during national anthem Thursday

B AY, WIS. To demonGREEN strate unity, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers wants fans to join players Thursday night, locking arms in the stands during the national anthem at Lambeau Field.

Rodgers asked fans to lock arms as a show of togetherness instead of division. The request stemmed from what Rodgers called “a fantastic meeting ” among players, discussing a wide range of topics he chose to keep private.

The Packers host Chicago on Thursday (8:25 p.m. ET; CBS, NFL Network, Amazon).

“I think there’s been a great sense of unity and love and support in this locker room,” Rodgers said, “guys coming together. Outside the building, I think the message has been diluted a little bit, and it’s been kind of taken away from what we were trying to do: show a united front, guys linking up together.”

In a polarized society, Rodgers knows that united front doesn’t extend outside the Packers locker room. He said there’s been “a lot of hatred” on his social media after the Packers used Sunday’s national anthem before a game against the Cincinnati Bengals to protest inequality and police brutality.

Most players locked arms along the home sideline at Lambeau Field. Tight ends Martellus Bennett and Lance Kendricks, along with rookie cornerback Kevin King, sat on a bench while The Star-Spangled Banner was played.

Rodgers said the protest was not intended to disrespect the military, rather to stress unity.

“This is about equality,” Rodg- ers said. “This is about unity and love and growing together as a society, and starting a conversation around something that may be a little bit uncomfortable for people. But we’ve got to come together and talk about these things and grow as a community, as a connected group of individuals in our society, and we’re going to continue to show love and unity.

“And this week we’re going to ask the fans to join in as well and come together and show people that we can be connected and we can grow together.”