Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters raised his fist during the national anthem before playing the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, while the rest of the team interlocked their arms in solidarity.
Colin Kaepernick, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback, has made headlines in recent weeks when he refused to stand during the national anthem before a game in protest of the treatment of minorities in the U.S.
Peters joined several NFL players who are supporting Kaepernick, whose actions have drawn tremendous criticism from those who find his protest disrespectful, including Seattle cornerback Jeremy Lane, Denver linebacker Brandon Marshall and safety Eric Reid, who have kneeled during the anthem, ESPN reported.
“I salute Colin for what he’s doing for a great cause,” Peters told ESPN on Friday. “I’m 100 percent behind him. What’s going on in law enforcement, it does need to change and it does need to change for … everybody, not just us as black Americans.”
The team rallied with Peters as well by locking their arms in solidarity during the national anthem.
“After having a number of thoughtful discussions as a group regarding our representation during the National Anthem, we decided collectively to lock arms as a sign of solidarity,” the team said in a statement. “It was our goal to be unified as a team and to be respectful of everyone’s opinions, and the remembrance of 9/11. Together we are going to continue to have conversations, educate ourselves and others on social issues and work with local law enforcement officials and leaders to make an impact on the Kansas City community.”
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