NFL players were active on social media on Saturday in response to President Donald Trump urging NFL teams to fire any “son of a bitch” who kneels during the playing of the national anthem and they were uniformly negative about the President’s point of view.
Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe issued a statement via Josina Anderson of ESPN on Sunday that read quite a bit differently. Wolfe didn’t say that any players who protest, as his teammate Brandon Marshall did last season, should be fired but he did express his feeling that it is disrespectful and wondered why those who don’t believe the United States of America is the greatest country in the world would stay here.
“I stand because I respect the men who died in real battle so I have the freedom to battle on the field. Paying tribute to the men and women who have given their lives for our freedom is why I stand. But everyone these days likes to find a reason to protest and that’s their right. It’s America and you are free to speak your mind. I just feel it’s disrespectful to the ones who sacrificed their lived and it’s maybe the wrong platform. But like I said to each their own it’s AMERICA! The greatest country in the world and if you don’t think we are the greatest country in the world and you reside here, then why do you stay? A lot worse places in the world to call home. Proud to be an American.”