Two Miami Dolphins players kneel during National Anthem

Dolphins defensive end Robert Quinn stood during the anthem with a fist raised before the National Football League team’s game against the Tennessee Titans in Miami Gardens, Florida.

A CNN Sports crew at the game witnessed the three players’ demonstration during the anthem.


Kaepernick sparked controversy when he sat, then knelt, during the National Anthem before several 2016 NFL preseason and regular-season games. Former 49ers safety Eric Reid joined Kaepernick in the protest.

Kaepernick said then he could not “show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.”

Kaepernick and Reid, who are not currently playing professional football, voiced support for Stills and Wilson on Sunday, saying they “continue to show their unwavering strength by fighting for the oppressed! They have not backed down, even when attacked and intimidated.”

Kaepernick is the face of Nike’s new ad campaign, which promotes the 30th anniversary of its “Just Do It” advertising. One spot features a black and white close-up of his face with the caption: “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”

How National Anthem protests took Colin Kaepernick from star QB to unemployment to a bold Nike ad

After the ad was unveiled, people posted videos of themselves burning their Nike sneakers and sportswear to protest the company’s decision to use Kaepernick.

On Sunday, President Donald Trump, who has criticized the players’ demonstration in the past, again took to social media to voice his displeasure.


In May, team owners declared that team personnel on the field during the anthem must “stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem.”


But the NFL players’ union in July filed a grievance, arguing the new policy infringed upon player rights and was enacted without consulting the union.



This content was republished with permission from CNN.