Last Sunday, with the 49ers being the last team to play since the anthem controversy reached full boil, a large group of players took a knee for the anthem in Arizona (as demonstrated in the photo, taken a week ago). This Sunday, another large group of 49ers kneeled.
Via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports California, 23 members of the team took a knee during the national anthem in Indianapolis, prior to kickoff of San Francisco’s game against the Colts.
The development comes at a time when there seems to be a push toward getting players to stand. Amid a report that players from at least one team have been told to stand for the anthem or stay in the locker room, three Dolphins who had been kneeling were not on the field during the anthem. Also, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has said that the time has come for players to stand.
With the 49ers at the other end of the spectrum, the NFL could soon be experiencing something other than harmony and unity among and between their franchises, which could prompt some players to push even more aggressively to exercise their right to kneel or sit during the anthem.