About 2 dozen NFL players protest during anthems Sunday

Days after the NFL declined to change its rule on the national anthem, about two dozen players protested around the league Sunday.

Associated Press journalists counted 22 players protesting during the anthems in some way before day games. Some took a knee, others sat on the bench, stayed in the tunnel or raised a fist.

On Sept. 25, days after President Donald Trump said players should be fired for protesting during the anthem, more than 200 players protested.

On Sunday, the Seahawks and 49ers had the most protesters. Seattle defensive end Michael Bennett and seven Seahawks teammates did not stand during the anthem before their game with the New York Giants.

As a New York City police officer sang the anthem, Bennett was joined by defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, defensive end Brandon Jackson, defensive end Marcus Smith, defensive tackle Jarran Reed, defensive end Frank Clark and defensive end Quinton Jefferson. Defensive end Cliff Avril, scratched for the game, sat between Clark and Bennett. Another teammate stood with his left arm on Bennett’s back. One Seattle player kneeled.

In San Francisco, about a half-dozen 49ers kneeled led by Eric Reid, Marquise Goodwin, rookie linebacker Reuben Foster, Eli Harold, Adrian Colbert and K’waun Williams. All the Dallas Cowboys stood , but defensive tackle David Irving raised his fist after the anthem ended.