RadioOnFire.com - Various protests took place across the league on Sunday, [September 11] as the NFL opened the first weekend of its 2016 season amid rumor that some players had planned to demonstrate alongside Colin Kaepernick's stance against police oppression. While much of the buzz coming into the day surrounded the Seattle Seahawks, who had announced that they planned to stand with elbows interlocked as a team via PSA the day prior, random gestures of dissent scattered the league. One of those who chose to take a stand was Martellus Bennett of the New England Patriots, who along with teammate Devin McCourty channeled 1968 Olympian John Carlos, by raising their fists.
Several players around the league drew off of Carlos' inspiration on Sunday, including the Tennessee Titans' Wesley Woodyard, Jurrell Casey, and Jason McCourty. The Patriots' Devin McCourty and the Titans' Jason McCourty are twin brothers, and the Pats' Martellus Bennett is the younger brother of the Seahawks' Michael Bennett. Seattle is the only full team to stage a demonstration, and it is likely that there are players in nearly every city who connect, and what started out as the sole action of Kaepernick in San Francisco, has grown. In fact, Robert Klemko of Sports Illustrated sent out a tweet confirming the word that over 70 NFL veterans, including Kaepernick, Michael Bennet, Richard Sherman, and Arian Foster have been involved in an ongoing group chat to discuss what actions to take in the vein of social justice throughout the season.
Also raising a fist on Sunday was Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters. Four Miami Dolphins, including Foster, Jelani Jenkins, Michael Thomas and Kenny Stills, took a knee across from the Seahawks in Seattle. Fans will be geared up to scope for who might next take a stand on Monday, as two games are to be played, with the Pittsburgh Steelers playing the Redskins in Washington D.C. The L.A. Rams take on Kaepernick's 49'ers in San Francisco for the final game of week 1 in the 2016 NFL season.
Source: deadspin.com
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