The Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens kicked off NFL Sunday with mass team protests on both sidelines during the national anthem. Jaguars owner Shad Khan was on the field with his team during their protest, standing arm-in-arm with his players after Donald Trump called for NFL owners to fire any player who protested.
Khan obviously wasn’t going to let that fly.
After the national anthem came to its conclusion and the game was officially underway, Khan issued a statement explaining his decision to join his players as a sign of unity.
“I met with our team captains prior to the game to express my support for them, all NFL players and the league following the divisive and contentious remarks made by President Trump, and was honored to be arm in arm with them, their teammates and our coaches during our anthem,” Khan said.
“Our team and the National Football League reflects our nation, with diversity coming in many forms – race, faith, our views and our goals. We have a lot of work to do, and we can do it, but the comments by the President make it harder.
You can read Khan’s full statement below, via ESPN’s Adam Schefter:
It was a privilege to stand on the sidelines with the Jacksonville Jaguars today for the playing of the U.S. national anthem at Wembley Stadium. I met with our team captains prior to the game to express my support for them, all NFL players and the league following the divisive and contentious remarks made by President Trump, and was honored to be arm in arm with them, their teammates and our coaches during our anthem. Our team and the National Football League reflects our nation, with diversity coming in many forms – race, faith, our views and our goals. We have a lot of work to do, and we can do it, but the comments by the President make it harder. That’s why it was important for us, and personally for me, to show the world that even if we may differ at times, we can and should be united in the effort to become better as people and a nation.
Can’t get enough of Campus Sports? Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to stay updated with the latest news and exclusive giveaways!
