Seahawks Considering Making Team-Wide Anthem Protest In Season Opener

The Seattle Seahawks may be taking a page out of Colin Kaepernick’s book in their season opener on Sunday by launching their own protest of the national anthem.

Seahawks Considering Making Team-Wide Anthem Protest In Season Opener

Several Seahawks players, including linebacker Bobby Wagner and wide receiver Doug Baldwin, have stated the team is considering protesting the anthem in some form in Sunday’s opening home game against the Miami Dolphins.

Baldwin tweeted on Thursday that “our team will honor the country and flag in a pregame demonstration of unity.”

When approached in the locker room by the media, Baldwin refused to elaborate further, stating: “you’ll see on Sunday.”

Baldwin further demonstrated his support for the right-to-protest movement in a series of tweets:

The move, about which specific details remain as of today unknown, caught the attention and gained the support of Nate Boyer, a former U.S. Army Green Beret who spent time with Seattle last offseason as an undrafted rookie long-snapper.

“Anything we want to do, it’s not going to be individual. It’s going to be a team thing,” Wagner said. “That’s what the world needs to see. The world needs to see people coming together versus being individuals.”

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson previously stated that while he understands Kaepernick’s intentions of making a statement on racial injustice, he still believes the flag and anthem should be respected.

“For me, I love the flag,” said Wilson.

Kaepernick stated he refused to stand for the flag of a country that “oppresses black people and people of color,” alluding to the several incidents of police misconduct against African-Americans and other minorities.

The San Francisco 49ers QB’s protest has led other notable athletes to also sit or kneel rather than stand during the playing of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner,’ among them US. Women’s Soccer star Megan Rapinoe– who recently knelt before one game as the anthem played, and then was stymied in her attempt to repeat this action when the anthem played early in a subsequent game–and Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall, who knelt before his team’s season opener against the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night.

Cornerback Jeremy Lane was seen sitting during the national anthem in the final preseason game.

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said he is fine with whatever the team chooses to do.

SEATTLE, WA – AUGUST 25: Quarterback Jake Heaps #5 of the Seattle Seahawks in action against the Dallas Cowboys during the preseason game at CenturyLink Field on August 25, 2016 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)