:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56831603/usa_today_8843320.0.jpg)
The Cincinnati Bengals are making a statement.
In case you missed it, on Friday night President Donald Trump made a bold statement against NFL players who have protested during the national anthem. On Sunday, Trump took to Twitter, telling his followers to boycott the NFL.
But those comments have only made NFL players rally harder behind this movement. Now, the Bengals are taking part. Ahead of their matchup with the Green Bay Packers, Bengals players linked arms during the national anthem as a sign of unity.
Several #Bengals appear to have their arms locked for the anthem. @WCPO pic.twitter.com/LK0QCCkp0m
— Keenan Singleton (@KJMSingleton) September 24, 2017
Russell Bodine & T.J. Johnson & Cedric Ogbuehi were at one end, Kevin Huber & Randy Bullock at the other https://t.co/dr6gXSqMnj
— Jim Owczarski (@JimOwczarski) September 24, 2017
Protesting during the national anthem is a movement started by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in the 2016 preseason. It’s become more and more common since then, so much that most NFL teams have now taken part in it to some degree.
Even NFL owners and the NFLPA are issuing statements denouncing Trump’s recent comment. This is by far the biggest statement by the NFL as a whole we’ve seen since this first began last year. It seems Trump’s remarks have only encouraged more players to make a statement.