The football games on Sunday night looked a little different than usual. Many NFL players took a knee in protest of the comments made by President Trump regarding his hope of “suspending or firing" players who take a knee during the National Anthem.

Photo: Dave Adamson on Unsplash

Colin Kaepernick was the first football player to take a knee during the anthem. Kaepernick started taking a knee last year, protesting police brutality. He received lots of backlash for his actions, and he wasn’t given a contract this season as a free agent. “Blackballed" was the label that was attached to him.

Sunday’s protest was special to each and every player. Head coaches allowed their players to do as they wanted during the anthem. While some stood, some sat, and some knelt, the unity of the teams was quite evident. Players joined arms, while others stood resting their hands on players that knelt. The teams were together and they were fighting for our rights as Americans, the First Amendment being a major issue of protest. Players were also protesting other matters, such as equality and police brutality. Taking a knee meant something different to every player that was involved.

After Sunday’s game, President Trump praised the fans who booed the players who were not standing. According to a tweet Trump wrote, “many people booed the players who kneeled yesterday (which was a small percentage of total). These are fans who demand respect for our Flag!"

It is very interesting to see how everyone is reacting to these protests, and it is important to recognize the messages that these protests deliver.