Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Many players kneel, most link arms during “Star-Spangled Banner” in London

Ravens Jaguars Football

Fans walk up Wembley Way as they arrive for an NFL football game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Baltimore Ravens at Wembley Stadium in London, Sunday Sept. 24, 2017. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

AP

Many players knelt and those who didn’t linked arms as “The Star-Spangled Banner” was sung before today’s Ravens-Jaguars game in London.

The early kickoff from London was the first NFL game since President Trump blasted protesting players on Friday evening, urging NFL owners to fire any players who don’t stand for the anthem.

Jaguars owner Shahid Khan, who donated $1 million to President Trump’s inauguration ceremony, was among those linking arms on the Jaguars’ sideline.

All of the players who knelt for the American anthem appeared to stand for “God Save the Queen.” The NFL always includes both countries’ anthems for London games.

Protests are expected across the NFL today, as players who initially protested during the anthem to demonstrate against police shootings are now expressing their opposition to the president’s comments.