Taking a knee has long been a traditional ritual in the sports world. Whenever a coach wants the attention of his players, he assembles them as a group and instructs them to "take a knee", allowing him to look out over his team and instruct them as a unit. At certain points in a football game, a team may assemble the "victory formation", wherein the quarterback takes a knee to run time off the clock without having to run a play, usually reserved for the end of a half or game. Lately, however, taking a knee has taken a different, more political connotation. The controversy revolves not around the mere act of taking a knee, but around the timing. Athletes are now kneeling during the national anthem and presentation of the flag as a way of protesting what they feel is the discrimination and marginalization of minorities. What started out with one player and slowly spread across teams, sports, and levels, has now become a full-fledged movement, drawing both praise and ire from those inside and outside the sporting world.
When the movement first started out, it was expressed not by kneeling, but by sitting. In his first preseason game of the 2016 season, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat on the bench during the national anthem. Kaepernick continued his silent protest unnoticed for two more games, until a tweet showing Kaepernick sitting surfaced after their game against the Packers on August 26th. This stunt quickly grew into a media firestorm, with many people and news outlets wondering why Kaepernick would disrespect the flag in such a way. The day after making headlines, Kaepernick granted an exclusive interview to NFL Media explaining his reasoning behind the protest. In the interview, Kaepernick stated that he was "not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color... this is bigger than football." With his reasoning outlined and message spread to the world, Kaepernick continued his sitting protest alone, until on September 2, 2016, teammate Chris Reid knelt beside Kaepernick ahead of their game against the San Diego Chargers. Kaepernick decided on kneeling during the national anthem rather than sitting after conferring with former Green Beret and NFL long snapper Nate Boyer, who advised him that taking a knee would be a better way to show protest without showing disrespect for the military. With the new posture came new furor over the protest, as it was no longer a motion of passive resistance, but was now a mode of active defiance. As the controversy around the protest grew, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told the Associated Press via email that while he "[doesn't] necessarily agree with what [Kaepernick] is doing... [he] support[s] our players when they want to see change in society." Given the commissioner's apparent seal of approval, more NFL players began to join in the protest, throwing their support behind Kaepernick.
As the protest gained more steam, and thus more press coverage, it also gained more criticism. Ahead of the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, US Mens National Team Coach John Tortorella told ESPN that he was against the movement, saying that if any of his players sat on the bench during the anthem, they would "sit there the rest of the game." Tortorella, whose son is an Army Ranger, went on to say that while he supported a person's right to express themselves and call attention to perceived injustices, he was against it "when it comes to the flag and the anthem." Even President Donald Trump felt the need to weigh in on the controversy, suggesting at a rally in Alabama in September 2017 that NFL owners should fire any player that knelt during the national anthem. Seeking to alleviate some of the controversy that the protest had brought upon the sport, NFL owners voted in May 2018 to implement a new policy that required any player on the sideline to stand during the national anthem. While some critiqued this policy for violating the players' right to protest, owners were quick to point out that players could stay in the locker rooms as a means of protest. This provision proved not to be enough for some fans, and now many are calling for a boycott of the NFL until they reverse the policy.
Even though the days of kneeling in the NFL seem to be behind them, the impact of the protest can still be felt. The movement proved to be powerful enough to spread beyond just the NFL, and can now be seen in other professional leagues, college level athletics, and even down to high school sports. What started as one man trying to send a message and bring to light the injustices that he saw happening in this country has now become a massive movement that has taken over the world of sports. Even some of its harshest critics have softened on the issue, with President Donald Trump recently offering to meet with players who participated in the protest to discuss the social issues that they feel are plaguing the country at this time. While the protest seems to be over for the men who initially began it, they can take solace in the fact that not only did they bring the issues to the forefront of American thought, but they now have secured a meeting with the President that may make headroom in the fight against these injustices.
Kaepernick and Reid kneeling ahead of their game against the Chargers. (USAToday)
When the movement first started out, it was expressed not by kneeling, but by sitting. In his first preseason game of the 2016 season, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat on the bench during the national anthem. Kaepernick continued his silent protest unnoticed for two more games, until a tweet showing Kaepernick sitting surfaced after their game against the Packers on August 26th. This stunt quickly grew into a media firestorm, with many people and news outlets wondering why Kaepernick would disrespect the flag in such a way. The day after making headlines, Kaepernick granted an exclusive interview to NFL Media explaining his reasoning behind the protest. In the interview, Kaepernick stated that he was "not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color... this is bigger than football." With his reasoning outlined and message spread to the world, Kaepernick continued his sitting protest alone, until on September 2, 2016, teammate Chris Reid knelt beside Kaepernick ahead of their game against the San Diego Chargers. Kaepernick decided on kneeling during the national anthem rather than sitting after conferring with former Green Beret and NFL long snapper Nate Boyer, who advised him that taking a knee would be a better way to show protest without showing disrespect for the military. With the new posture came new furor over the protest, as it was no longer a motion of passive resistance, but was now a mode of active defiance. As the controversy around the protest grew, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told the Associated Press via email that while he "[doesn't] necessarily agree with what [Kaepernick] is doing... [he] support[s] our players when they want to see change in society." Given the commissioner's apparent seal of approval, more NFL players began to join in the protest, throwing their support behind Kaepernick.
Members of the New England Patriots kneel before a game against the Houston Texans.
As the protest gained more steam, and thus more press coverage, it also gained more criticism. Ahead of the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, US Mens National Team Coach John Tortorella told ESPN that he was against the movement, saying that if any of his players sat on the bench during the anthem, they would "sit there the rest of the game." Tortorella, whose son is an Army Ranger, went on to say that while he supported a person's right to express themselves and call attention to perceived injustices, he was against it "when it comes to the flag and the anthem." Even President Donald Trump felt the need to weigh in on the controversy, suggesting at a rally in Alabama in September 2017 that NFL owners should fire any player that knelt during the national anthem. Seeking to alleviate some of the controversy that the protest had brought upon the sport, NFL owners voted in May 2018 to implement a new policy that required any player on the sideline to stand during the national anthem. While some critiqued this policy for violating the players' right to protest, owners were quick to point out that players could stay in the locker rooms as a means of protest. This provision proved not to be enough for some fans, and now many are calling for a boycott of the NFL until they reverse the policy.
President Trump at the rally where he disparaged the NFL Protesters. (AL.com)
Even though the days of kneeling in the NFL seem to be behind them, the impact of the protest can still be felt. The movement proved to be powerful enough to spread beyond just the NFL, and can now be seen in other professional leagues, college level athletics, and even down to high school sports. What started as one man trying to send a message and bring to light the injustices that he saw happening in this country has now become a massive movement that has taken over the world of sports. Even some of its harshest critics have softened on the issue, with President Donald Trump recently offering to meet with players who participated in the protest to discuss the social issues that they feel are plaguing the country at this time. While the protest seems to be over for the men who initially began it, they can take solace in the fact that not only did they bring the issues to the forefront of American thought, but they now have secured a meeting with the President that may make headroom in the fight against these injustices.
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