Broncos’ Marshall: Anthem kneel down against ‘social injustice’
Sep 9, 2016, 1:30 AM | Updated: 6:22 am
Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall said he was taking a stance “against social injustice” Thursday night –– and not a shot at police, the military, or America –– when he kneeled down during the national anthem.
Marshall, who said he will “absolutely” continue to kneel during the anthem every game going forward, said he prayed about the protest and felt “like that was the right thing to do.”
“This is our only platform to really be heard. At times people want us to just shut up and entertain them, shut up and play football, but we have voices as well,” Marshall said. “We are actually educated individuals that went to college. When we have an opinion and we speak it, I feel like a lot of people bash us for what we have to say.”
The kneel down follows suit of a number of players who made similar gestures after San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat on the bench during the anthem during a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers.
Kaepernick, who played college football with Marshall at Nevada, said he couldn’t stand for a flag that represents wrongdoings committed against people of color.
“Colin is my fraternity brother, my ex-teammate, and I believe in what he’s trying to do. I believe in his actions so I definitely want to stand by him,” Marshall said.
Marshall conceded that his actions may be misinterpreted and it may cost him fans, endorsements, and so on, but those closest to him stood behind him.
“Some people are going to stand by me, some people won’t, but I know that my loved ones and the people that are going to support me and care about me, they’re going to stand behind me,” Marshall said. “That’s all that matters to me now.”
After the game, head coach Gary Kubiak called Marshall a “great kid” and “a leader of this team,” but the team would be moving forward.
Marshall said he had not spoken with any teammates or coaches about the protest before the game, only discussing it with his family beforehand.
“I didn’t know he was going to do that at all. There’s nothing to me, I’m just going to go out and play football,” running back C.J. Anderson said after the game.
“I’m not here to be a politician or any of those things. If I wanted to do that, I’d have gone to school for those things. I went to school, I graduate, and I got my degree in philosophy. But now I’m playing football and just playing the game I love.”