Trump retweets account praising Pat Tillman in call for NFL boycott

President Trump continued to criticize protesting NFL players Monday, retweeting an account that called for an NFL boycott and referenced former NFL star Pat Tillman, an Army Ranger who was killed in Afghanistan in 2004.

“NFLplayer PatTillman joined U.S. Army in 2002. He was killed in action 2004. He fought 4our country/freedom. #StandForOurAnthem #BoycottNFL,” the tweet, from Twitter user “@jayMAGA45,” reads. 

NFLplayer PatTillman joined U.S. Army in 2002. He was killed in action 2004. He fought 4our country/freedom. #StandForOurAnthem #BoycottNFL pic.twitter.com/k1FXHRoozY

— Ⓙay (@jayMAGA45) September 24, 2017

Tillman played for the Arizona Cardinals before enlisting in the Army after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

He was killed in Afghanistan by friendly fire in 2004, launching an attempted military cover-up meant to obscure how Tillman had died.

{mosads}Just before the retweet, Trump wrote “#StandForOurAnthem” from his own account.

The tweets come as Trump received an onslaught of criticism for suggesting over the weekend that NFL owners fire players who kneel during the national anthem.

“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now,’ ” Trump said at a Friday night rally in Alabama. “ ‘He is fired.’ ” 

Trump has since doubled down on the remarks, arguing that kneeling during the national anthem — a protest started by quarterback Colin Kaepernick to criticize racial justice — is disrespectful to the United States.

The president’s comments inspired widespread protests Sunday at NFL games players across the country.