Coach Honors Kaepernick During National Anthem

Inspired by Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers and Brandon Marshall from the Denver Broncos, several players from a New Jersey high school football team chose to kneel during the national anthem.

The predominantly non-white Woodrow Wilson High School team, including both coaches and students, adopted this gesture to highlight social and economic injustices, according to NBC News.

Initially, Tigers coach Preston Brown intended to kneel by himself in protest.

“I’m aware of the third verse of the national anthem, which is seldom sung, and I recognize that its original lyrics did not include people like me,” he stated.

The verse in question reads: “No refuge could save the hireling and slave / From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave.”

Brown elaborated, “Given recent events and my own experiences as an African-American student-athlete in the South, I felt this was the right moment to take a stand,” as reported by NJ.com.

“I’m proud to be African-American and to live in this country,” he continued. “However, I cannot ignore the disparities I witness daily, even just a few blocks away.”

After discussing his plan with the players, some chose to kneel alongside Brown, likely because they related to his perspective.

“I grew up in poverty, and many of these students face similar struggles,” Brown said. “There are significant social and economic challenges within our community.”

The Camden City School District, while advocating respect for the flag, supported Brown’s views and commended the students for their engagement.

“We are proud of our students for their involvement in this important social justice issue, whether they choose to stand, kneel, or express themselves in other ways,” said Brendan Lowe, a spokesperson for the district.