Advertisement

Saints-Falcons don't do anthem protest, hold hands instead

NFL players are joining Colin Kaepernick’s protest in different ways, and they’re all allowed to express their feelings however they wish. That’s how we ended up with Kaepernick kneeling during the anthem, after all.

But the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons had an unusual method of joining the protest, which has spread not just around the NFL but to other levels of football too.

[Play our $200K Baller | Free Yahoo Cup entry | Earn rewards points playing Daily]

After the anthem the Saints and Falcons came to the middle of the field, got in a circle and held hands.

On the ESPN broadcast, play-by-play announcer Sean McDonough said Saints quarterback Drew Brees and Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan contacted each other, and the teams decided to be “completely respectful” of the anthem, with all players standing at attention. Then the player circle was a show of togetherness and unity although it was pretty vague what they were coming together for, without further context.

Saints running back Mark Ingram explained how the unity circle came about after the game, and indicated it was coach Sean Payton’s idea.

“I support Kaepernick and all the other guys — their cause and what they’re standing up for,” Ingram said, according to Josh Katzenstain of NOLA.com. “But it’s unfortunate that people are taking it the wrong way, and it was just causing division when we’re trying to create unity. Coach Payton asked a few of us what we thought of the idea. He asked [Falcons coach] Dan Quinn about the idea, and they were all for it [and] we were all for it. I think that’s awesome. I think that’s a strong statement.”

Kaepernick is protesting against racial inequality and police brutality. Cynically, one could view Monday night’s demonstration as being a message toward the protesting players that this was the better way of raising awareness.

But that’s the beauty of this country. Those players were free to demonstrate however they pleased.

Carson Wentz and Philly look like the real deal; NFL Week 3 recap


Subscribe to Grandstanding • iTunesStitcherSoundcloud

– – – – – – –

Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!