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Who Kneeled For The National Anthem At The Super Bowl? Twitter Is Upset Over This Group
By Lilli Petersen14 hours ago
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When it comes to sports and political protests, 2017 was a doozy. In September, President Donald Trump chose to get involved in and comment on NFL players’ protests against police brutality and racial bias — highlighting the protests and throwing them back into the spotlight. In the weeks that followed, the protests took off like never before. So in the days before football’s biggest night of the year, it’s not surprising if everyone was on the lookout for who kneeled for the National Anthem at the Super Bowl.
This may or may not surprise you, but it appeared that not a single player or team member from both the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots kneeled in protest tonight. Before today, it wasn't clear if the players would decide to make a statement on football's biggest night and continue the #TakeAKnee protest that has persisted throughout this season. And from the looks of it, the players decided to opt out tonight. But a few spectators didnotice a few people on the field that were kneeling — the flag bearers.
Twitter users pointed this out and called it a double-standard, referencing that the players may have been asked not to kneel during the biggest sporting event of the year. However, just because the flag bearers took a knee doesn't mean the act was necessarily political. It could simply be protocol positioning for their duty.
Either way, Twitter erupted with commentary on the perceived double-standard.
https://twitter.com/aSKYLINEromance/status/960292344410099714
kingDERON@aSKYLINEromanceSo the people holding the flag can kneel, but players can't
Seems pretty double sided #SuperBowlLII
5:21 PM - Feb 4, 2018
View image on Twitter
https://twitter.com/BrittanyBeagley/status/960294698580660224
bb@BrittanyBeagleyWow these flag girls made a bold statement during the National Anthem #TakeAKnee #SuperBowlSunday
5:31 PM - Feb 4, 2018
14h
The Associated Press✔@AP
RT @AP_NFL The Latest: No players sit or kneel during the national anthem at the Super Bowl http://apne.ws/opqMiiG
https://twitter.com/QuickBitsNews/status/960296530685997056

Quick Bits News
@QuickBitsNewsMaybe not the players but... #TakeAKnee pic.twitter.com/IanD15QHZ8
5:38 PM - Feb 4, 2018
the Charles republic.@CharlesToYOUI expected these BLACK players to use this time as a moment to kneel and stand for something, but that’s what I get for expecting anything from them.
5:21 PM - Feb 4, 2018
https://twitter.com/Leremy04/status/960292684220026880
Leremy@Leremy04#SuperBowl only folks taking a knee where the flag bearers?
5:23 PM - Feb 4, 2018
Anthony Mr. Shade@AnthonyH_75Soooo the young ladies with the flag in their hands can kneel with no issues but if the players do it it's disrespect? Lets go Philly beat the Patriots #Philadelphia #SuperBowl2018
5:25 PM - Feb 4, 2018
https://twitter.com/TobinEcht/status/960293665108238336
TobinEcht
@TobinEchtIronic that all the kids holding the giant American flag were taking a knee during the national anthem...#TakeAKnee
#SuperBowl
5:27 PM - Feb 4, 2018
View image on Twitter
https://twitter.com/bighankandsons/status/960292992442601472
Henry Williams@bighankandsonsAll the talk about taking a knee during the national anthem, look at the flag holders! #TakeAKnee
5:24 PM - Feb 4, 2018
14h
Donald Trump Jr.✔@DonaldJTrumpJr
It’s that easy. Well done. #nationalanthem.
https://twitter.com/IAmMiMiG/status/960294933432213505
Mimi G@IAmMiMiGTake a close look Jr, all the people actually holding the flag are doing what? #TakeAKnee pic.twitter.com/APCVZm0lc1
5:32 PM - Feb 4, 2018
https://twitter.com/Cartierodriguez/status/960292375875563521
Cartier@Cartierodriguezkneel rn if you real #superbowl
5:21 PM - Feb 4, 2018
Before the game even happened, fans were assured that whatever went down, we would get to see it live. NBC Sports executive producer Fred Gaudelli said that the game — potential protests included — was going to be treated just the same as any other live event. “The Super Bowl is a live event, just like 'Sunday Night Football," he said, according to NBC Washington. "When you’re covering a live event, you’re covering what's happening. So if there are players that choose to kneel, they will be shown live."
He did add, however, that it didn't seem likely that it would happen at the Super Bowl. "Since Thanksgiving, a lot of that has kind of dissipated and died down," he said. "It’s certainly possible it could happen again.”
The lack of protestsat theSuper Bowl was the culmination of a pretty tumultuous football season (politically speaking). Back in late September, Trump called out the protests, in which players knelt in during the national anthem, via Twitter. He wrote, "If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast. Fire or suspend!"
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/911904261553950720
Donald J. Trump✔@realDonaldTrump
If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast. Fire or suspend!
4:44 AM - Sep 24, 2017
Trump's tweet kick-started a weeks long spate of players choosing to take a knee in response to the president’s remarks, with entire teams participating in the protest. On September 24 alone, over 150 players took the knee or protested in some other way — including 16 members of the New England Patriots. But the following week, on Oct. 1, the Patriots players chose to standon the sidelines for their game against the Carolina Panthers, while multiple players across the NFL — including the entirety of the New Orleans Saints — knelt in protest.
And when it comes to the other side of the game, the chances of fans seeing their favorites kneel were slim to begin with, but that didn't mean there were no demonstrations. Throughout the season, the Philadelphia Eagles chose not to kneel, but players such as Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney MacLeod raised their fists in protests. So it seemed unlikely that they would kneel — but hey, you never know.
The protests were originally started in August 2016 by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick as a protest against racial bias and police brutality. During the 2016 preseason, Kaepernick sat during the national anthem (he later changed his action to kneeling as a gesture of respect to veterans who were troubled by the protest). He explained to NFL.com,
what they were ultimately about.
Well, as of today, the controversy about the protest is officially over. At least until next football season.
No players kneel during national anthem at Super Bowl
No players knelt or sat during the national anthem as the Super Bowl kicked off in Minneapolis on Sunday, according to The Associated Press.
Pop singer Pink performed a rendition of the song as players for the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles stood on the sidelines.
Many Patriots players could be seen with their hands over their hearts, the AP reported.
Prior to the game, President Trumpreleased a statement in which he called on Americans to "proudly stand for the National Anthem."
The NFL season has been rocked by controversy as players have protested police violence and racial injustice by kneeling or sitting during the anthem, raising the ire of many on the right, including Trump.
Though the protests were started in 2016 by current free agent Colin Kaepernick, Trump fanned the flames in September when he said the league should fire the protesters.
His call led to a wave of player protests across the league, as well as heightened tensions between players and league representatives.
The protests have become one of the most contentious social issues of Trump's presidency, fueling speculation about whether players would kneel during the Super Bowl, the league's annual championship and arguably the biggest American television event of the year.
Trump hosted a Super Bowl watch party at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Fla., before returning to Washington, D.C. on Sunday.


