Anthem Protest Movement
NFL players kneeling during anthem (peaked September 2017) following Kaepernick’s 2016 protest - divided America, enraged Trump, sparked national conversation about patriotism vs. police brutality.
Kaepernick origins (2016): Colin Kaepernick first sat, then knelt during anthem to protest police brutality; blackballed from NFL
Trump’s involvement (Sept 2017): “Get that son of a bitch off the field”; called for firing players who kneel
Week 3 (2017): 200+ players knelt, locked arms, or stayed in locker rooms; unprecedented NFL protest
Divided reactions: Conservatives burned jerseys, boycotted NFL; progressives supported players’ rights
Ownership split: Some owners locked arms with players; others demanded standing; Jerry Jones threatened
NFL ratings: Decline blamed on protests (also cord-cutting, Thursday games, other factors)
2018 rule: NFL required standing or staying in locker room; union grievance; rule suspended
George Floyd (2020): NFL reversed stance, admitted mistake, allowed end zone messages
Kaepernick settlement: Collusion lawsuit settled confidentially; still unsigned
Legacy: Normalized athlete activism; inspired other sports protests; exposed racial divisions
NFL protests prove sports and politics inseparable - league’s attempt to stay neutral failed when Trump forced the issue.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/24/sports/nfl-trump-anthem-protests.html
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24780385/nfl-players-anthem-protests-take-knee-kaepernick-timeline