Eagles players continue national anthem protests by staying off field

Philadelphia Eagles players Malcolm Jenkins and Michael Bennett chose to remain off the field during the national anthem for the second straight preseason game.

Before the start of Thursday night’s preseason game against the Cleveland Browns, Jenkins stood in the tunnel during the national anthem and Bennett remained in the locker room, according to NBC Sports.

The two opted out of taking the field during the playing of the national anthem last week, as well. Before their preseason game against the New England Patriots, Jenkins and Eagles cornerback De’Vante Bausby stood in the tunnel during the national anthem, while Bennett remained in the locker room. 

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And the week before, at the start of the team’s preseason opener, Jenkins and Bausby both raised their fists during the national anthem at a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Players from the Jacksonville Jaguars and Seattle Seahawks also remained in the tunnel until the end of the anthem the same week.

“I think it was just a culmination of how the offseason went and where we are now,” Jenkins told NBC Sports in reference to resuming national anthem protests before the team’s preseason opener.

“I think it’s important that we continue to keep this conversation going, that we don’t let it get stagnant. As we understand it, everyone is kind of waiting to see what the league is going to do. That doesn’t mean that we stop what we’ve been standing up for,” Jenkins said. “That’s just my personal decision to make sure that we keep these things in the forefront.” 

Earlier this month, after NFL players picked up demonstrations during the league’s first slate of preseason openers, President Trump took to Twitter to renew his attacks on NFL players who protest during the national anthem and claimed they just “wanted to show their ‘outrage’ at something that most of them are unable to define.” 

The NFL sought to end the controversy over national anthem protests by imposing a policy earlier this year that would prevent players from protesting during the national anthem. The policy was later placed on hold after drawing a wave of complaints from players and fans.

On-field demonstrations grew last year after former NFL player Colin Kaepernick gained notoriety for kneeling during the national anthem to protest the treatment of people of color in the U.S.