The team announced Friday players and … Other helmet decals for players include “Black Lives Matter” (Shaquill Griffin), “George Floyd” (Ethan Pocic) and ”Breonna Taylor” (Ben Burr-Kirven). After years of pleading with their league to act against systemic racism, NFL players were prepared to wait another 10 seconds to make their point. Vikings players locked arms in the end zone about a half-hour before their game against Green Bay for 'Lift Every Voice and Sing,' the song unofficially known as the Black national anthem that was played before each game in Week 1 as part of the NFL's 'social awakening'. We’ve been taught a false history of what happened in this country. It’s white people that don’t know. The team announced Friday players and coaches will honor victims of systemic racism and police brutality during the 2020 NFL season with helmet decals and hat patches. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. The Seattle Seahawks are continuing to use their platform to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the NFL should have taken Kaepernick's and other players' protests more seriously from the start. “I think a lot of people have had that idea of, ‘My vote is only one vote, it doesn’t mean anything,’” Diggs said. 'The timing of this action is meant to highlight that the presence, power and oppression of racism remains inconsistent with the unity and freedoms of what it means to be an American. 'I love my country; I HATE the NFL,' tweeted Victoria Martel. Several teams made a point of stressing on Sunday that their protest was not unpatriotic - a point Kaepernick also made, but which was often drowned out by those - including President Donald Trump - latching onto the issue. The issue has since been further aggravated after the NFL said they would add 'Lift Every Voice and Sing,' before all the opening games of the 2020 season. On the other sideline, several Bears players took a knee while about 20 of their teammates waited for the anthem to end before jogging onto the field. Kaepernick, who led San Francisco to the Super Bowl in 2012 and the NFC title game the next year, was unable to get a job in the league in 2017 - or since. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Ken Zimmern from Texas tweeted his thoughts on the matter together with a pic of the entire Washington team kneeling at the side of the field. #Disgrace #UnAmerican'. 'Professional sports should not be used as a platform for expression, but for the enjoyment of their fans — those fans that support their teams and players. 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Kaepernick appeared to be angered by the NFL pushing its social justice initiatives while his former teammate Eric Reid remained a free agent to start the season, New England Patriots stand during the singing of 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' by Alicia Keys, on the video screen, before an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, in Foxborough, Massachusetts, Back online, NFL fan Luke Silver did not hold back: 'NFL is a total s*** show with their crossing over into politics and 'social justice' nobody wants to see that s***. $18.99 New. And then most of the team kneeled for the national anthem. And their income will be affected. Metcalf, free safety Quandre Diggs and linebacker Shaquem Griffin are among the players registered to vote for the first time. ', New England Patriots including head coach Bill Belichick, left, quarterback Cam  Newton (1) and defensive back Terrence Brooks (25) stand during the singing of 'Lift Every Voice and Sing'. “Black people know the truth,” Carroll said. 'We're taking this moment and making it a movement, not just as a race, a community or a team, but as a nation,' Falcons defensive end Steven Means said in a statement issued by the team. NFL fans express their anger at the 'politicization' of the league as teams kneel for the anthem or stay in locker rooms to support BLM on first Sunday - while Colin … “They know exactly what’s going on. The shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man from Wisconsin, two weekends ago reignited conversations about racial oppression and inequity in the country. Been to at least 10 stadiums so far. Evan Gearing from Georgetown, Texas said that the current display made it hard for him to still support the NFL. “But think of the millions of other people who are thinking the same thing, and how those votes can add up and how it can have an effect on the election … if you think voting isn’t important, think of the people before you who took time and protested and fought to get us to have this basic right to go out and vote.”. And it’s not that they’re not telling us. Cleveland Browns wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge (12) kneels before an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Members of the Carolina Panthers gesture during the Nation Anthem before their game against the Las Vegas Raiders in Charlotte, North Carolina, One man believed the NFL teams would see it 'end badly' suggesting it was 'career suicide' for those taking part, The anger was boiling over a tweet from a Trump supporter who suggested the players all be fired and 'contribute to society' another way, Players knelt in remembrance of Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., during the first half of an NFL football game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday  in Atlanta. He didn’t take any questions after the speech. The Los Angeles Chargers stand arm-in-arm before their game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Cincinnati, Los Angeles Rams players on the sidelines during the National Anthem before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at SoFi, The Cincinnati Bengals stand arm in arm as 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' is played before an NFL football game, The Los Angeles Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals stand on the field during the national anthem at the beginning of their game at Paul Brown Stadium on Sunday, There was a barrage of Tweets from supporters of the NFL who were not happy at political messages and 'social justice' actions crossing over into their football game, 'I think the NFL is taking a big misstep in making their product not about the game of football and making it about the political agendas of some of its players,' Green Bay Packers fan Andy Duffrin of Marinette, Wisconsin, said to the Green Bay Press Gazette. I'M DONE! We’ve been unwilling to accept the real history. He can be reached by email at benjaminarthur@seattlepi.com. “As athletes and as Seahawks, we’re definitely looked up to, we definitely have a voice, we definitely have influence, and I think that’s going to be very important to see that as athletes we do stand for something,” Wright told the team’s website. Right: Jimmy Graham #80 of the Chicago Bears raises his fist during the national anthem before the start of the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Sunday. Wide receiver D.K. So we will skip the song and dance and as a team we'll stay inside.'. One Kansas City Chiefs fan attempted to explain the negative response from fans. Banner has suggested the NFL put stickers on their helmets with the hashtag #BLM. Wayne Sargent of Campbellsport who runs a Green Bay Packers fan club says he believes the teams should stick to entertainment rather than political messages. The Los Angeles Rams sideline during the national anthem before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Chicago Bears players on the sideline during the national anthem against Detroit Lions during an NFL football game, Sunday, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) and teammates kneel during the National Anthem before an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Detroit Lions players on the sideline during the national anthem against Chicago Bears during an NFL game, Sunday. DR ELLIE CANNON answers all those niggling worries and explains why you should be first in the queue, Has Sweden's iconoclast public health expert been sidelined? “We all know what’s right, and we all know what’s wrong. 'While the NFL runs propaganda about how they care about Black Life, they are still actively blackballing Eric Reid for fighting for the Black community. Many players also have foundations through which they support local and national causes. Eric set 2 franchise records last year, and is one of the best defensive players in the league.'. In addition to Floyd and Taylor, the team will be honoring a slew of victims of police brutality, both locally and nationally — though not all of their names will be featured on helmets. FOCO Seattle Seahawks 3d Brxlz - Large Helmet Team Color One Size Unisex. When the anthem began in Detroit, a slew of Lions walked off the field and headed toward their locker room; some remained on the field and knelt. 'This attempt to unify only creates more divide. The full list of names the #Seahawks will be honoring this season (not all will appear on player helmets): pic.twitter.com/xWqFdBjtfP. Follow him on twitter at @benyarthur. In a recent poll by the Washington Post, 56% of Americans said they believed it to be appropriate for athletes to kneel during the national anthem with 42% saying it was inappropriate. This would be a show of support for the Black Lives Matter movement. 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