Eagles’ Chris Long Puts Arm Around Malcolm Jenkins In Support For National Anthem Protest

Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins protested the national anthem during Thursday’s preseason matchup against the Buffalo Bills at Lincoln Financial Field, and one teammate joined him in his effort: defensive end Chris Long.

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The protest follows a series of riots in Charlottesville, Virginia, where neo-Nazis and other white nationalist groups clashed with counter-protesters on Saturday after a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee was removed from the downtown area of the city. The clash left dozens injured and three people dead: a 32-year-old woman who was killed when a car rammed into the crowd, and two state troopers who were killed in a helicopter crash.

Long played college football at the University of Virginia, which is located in Charlottesville. After Jenkins raised his fist during the playing of the “Star-Spangled Banner” before Thursday’s game, Long placed a hand on his teammate’s shoulder.

“Some people are tired of hearing me tweet because they want me to stick to football but I like to use social media like I was a regular guy because I think I am,” Long said of the weekend’s riots on Monday. “I don’t tell people to stick to their job when they want to talk politics. And this isn’t political. That’s the thing. Everybody is trying to turn this political. This isn’t a political issue. This is right or wrong.”

Jenkins was one of several NFL players who replicated Colin Kaepernick’s national anthem protest during the 2016 season. He told ESPN on Aug. 10 that he would continue his protest into this season.

“Last season, I raised my fist as a sign of solidarity to support people, especially people of color, who were and are still unjustly losing their lives at the hands of officers with little to no consequence,” he said. “After spending time with police officers on ride-alongs, meeting with politicians on the state and federal level and grassroots organizations fighting for human rights, it’s clear that our criminal justice system is still crippling communities of color through mass incarceration.”

Jenkins concluded with, “I want to challenge those who stay silent to be courageous and use your platforms to become part of the solution. God bless.”

Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett stated earlier this week that he would also protest the anthem throughout the course of this season after sitting during its playing in his team’s preseason opener on Sunday.

The Eagles won Thursday’s game 20-16.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – AUGUST 17: Malcolm Jenkins #27 of the Philadelphia Eagles holds his fist in the air while Chris Long #56 of the Philadelphia Eagles puts his arm around him during the national anthem prior to the preseason game against the Buffalo Bills at Lincoln Financial Field on August 17, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)