Sunday gave NFL teams their first chance to demonstrate during the national anthem in response to President Donald Trump's condemnation of such protests, and teams across the league participated.
NFL players and teams around the league defiantly reacted to Trump's comments by protesting during the national anthem
NFL teams on Sunday played for the first time since President Donald Trump criticized players who protest during the national anthem.
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On Friday while speaking at a rally in Alabama, Trump had derided NFL players who chose to kneel during the national anthem to protest police violence against black people, saying: "Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a b---- off the field right now, out — he's fired!'"
Teams, players, and commissioner Roger Goodell responded with statements defending players' right to kneel. Goodell said the president's comments showed an "unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL."
Teams across the league demonstrated in various ways during the early games Sunday, with some teams standing arm-in-arm together and some both with players kneeling and with players standing with linked arms. Over an hour after kickoff, the president tweeted about the protests again, saying, "Standing with locked arms is good — kneeling is not acceptable."
You can take a look at how different teams chose to show solidarity below.
Dallas Cowboys
The entire Cowboys team momentarily took a knee prior to the anthem for the "Monday Night Football Game" as a "statement for equality and as a representation of unity.
Baltimore Ravens
Sunday's first game got started early in London. Some players on the Baltimore Ravens stood arm-in-arm during the anthem, while many others including Mike WallaceTony Jefferson, Terrell Suggs
Jacksonville Jaguars
It was a similar scene on the Jacksonville sideline in London, with some players standing arm-in-arm and others choosing to take a knee. Eli Ankou, Tashaun Gipson, A.J. Bouye, and 10 other Jaguars all knelt for the anthem. Also notable was the presence of Jaguars owner Shahid Khan locking arms with players.
Minnesota Vikings
In Minnesota, the Vikings chose to all stand together linking arms in a show of team unity. Members of the ownership and management were also present on the sideline.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers wide receivers DeSean Jackson and Mike Evans took a knee on the Tampa Bay sideline.
Houston Texans
Citing team unity, no players on the Houston Texans knelt Sunday, with all players choosing to stand for the anthem while linking arms.
Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie was on Philadelphia's sideline, where players stood together with locked arms and some raised fists. Safety Malcolm Jenkins asked the crowd to join the team in linking arms in a tweet sent out before the game.
New England Patriots
The Patriots had one of the most visible protests of the day, with James White, Stephon Gilmore, Brandin Cooks, Lawrence Guy, Alan Branch, Malcom Brown, Malcolm Butler, Brandon Bolden, Devin McCourty, Trey Flowers, Deatrich Wise, Jonathan Jones, Elandon Roberts, Duron Harmon, Adam Butler, Jordan Richards, Johnson Bademosi all taking a knee during the anthem.
Tom Brady stood linking arms with his teammates Phillip Dorsett, Cassius Marsh, and David Harris.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos also had a large group of players demonstrate, with close to half the team taking a knee during the anthem.
Buffalo Bills
Numerous Bills players knelt for the anthem, while running back LeSean McCoy continued his pregame stretches throughout the playing of the song. McCoy was one of many athletes to call out the president over Twitter earlier in the week.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin announced before their game that the team would not participate in the national anthem "n
Atlanta Falcons
Two Falcons players —
Indianapolis Colts
Numerous Colts players including
Cleveland Browns
On the Browns' sideline, 21 players reportedly knelt during pregame. Earlier in the season, the Browns had come out of the tunnel with local firefighters, police officers, and military members as a show of unity.
Miami Dolphins
Some Dolphins players chose to make a statement before the anthem — Kenny Stills, Jay Ajayi, Laremy Tunsil, Jakeem Grant, Ja'Wuan James, and Jermon Bushrod all wore shirts that said "#IMWITHKAP" during pregame warmups, a reference to Colin Kaepernick, the quarterback who first knelt during the national anthem to protest police violence against black people.
New York Jets
New Orleans Saints
Numerous Saints chose to sit rather than stand or kneel during the anthem.
Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans
Both the Seahawks and the Titans stayed in their locker room as the national anthem played before their game in Tennessee on Sunday, making for a somewhat surreal scene. Singer
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals chose to stand arm-in-arm, and they released a statement after the anthem. "
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers also chose to mostly stand with arms linked for their game Sunday. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers also shared a post on Instagram that many are viewing as a show of support for players who knelt.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers had a mix of players standing together, some with raised fists, and five players — Chris McCain, Darius Philon, Brandon Mebane, Damion Square and Tenny Palepoi — choosing to sit for the anthem. Melvin Ingram knelt as the song played.
Kansas City Chiefs
On the Kansas City Chiefs sideline, Chris Conley knelt through the anthem, and cornerback Marcus Peters sat the song out as he has for every game this season.
Oakland Raiders
Playing against the Redskins in Washington, DC, on national television, the Raiders came out with one of the strongest demonstrations of the day, with the majority of their team electing to sit out the anthem. As the sideline reporter Michele Tafoya noted, head coach Jack Del Rio said the team preferred to remain in the locker room but would have faced a 15-yard penalty because of different rules for primetime games.
Washington Redskins
Across the field from the Raiders, the Redskins mostly stood through the anthem, with owner Dan Snyder joining the team for the moment.