Miami Dolphins announced that they will remain in the team’s locker room for both national anthems this Sunday ahead of their regular-season opener against the New England Patriots, Fox News reports.
There will be no kneeling for the Dolphins on the sidelines this season. The players shared their thoughts in a video Thursday and read a message demanding the NFL use its money and influence to make social changes.
“Is it authentic? That’s the mystery,” one Dolphins player questioned.
“Or is it just another symbolic victory?” another player responded.
https://twitter.com/RealJayWilliams/status/1304186433054420992
“Now there’s two anthems. Do we kneel? Do we stand?”
“If we could just right our wrongs, we wouldn’t need two songs.”
“We don’t need another publicity parade,” another Dolphins player said.
“So, we’ll just stay inside until it’s time to play the game,” one player concluded.
Head coach Brian Flores also shared his thoughts. “Before the media starts wondering and guessing, they just answered all of your questions. We’ll just stay inside,” he said.
The Dolphins won’t be the only team making a bold statement when NFL games begin.
The move comes after the NFL’s decision to play “Lift Every Voice and Sing” as a sign of its commitment to social justice and been seen by many, including the Dolphins, as a publicity stunt rather than an effort to affect change. The team also said the NFL allowing players to wear helmet stickers honoring victims of racism was another example of a publicity move and demanded the NFL stop with “fluff and empty gestures,” asking team owners to “flex political power” to make social changes.
The NFL joined other sports leagues around the nation this season and used their facilities and resources to condemn racism and bring awareness to social justice. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced the league will imprint “End racism” and “It takes all of us” in the end zones at each stadium during the 2020 season and teams will have the opportunity to put the names of racial injustice victims on their helmets.