In Monday night’s football game between the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints, there wasn’t any sort of protest during the playing of the National Anthem.
However, both teams met with each other following the anthem, joining hands in a sign of unity.
With a message of togetherness, the Falcons and Saints lock arms and put the rivalry aside for a moment before #MNF. #Together #ATLvsNO pic.twitter.com/k82MiIDDQX
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) September 27, 2016
The gesture comes in the wake of anthem protests across the NFL.
The protests, first started by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, have brought a ton of attention to civil rights inequality and police brutality against African-Americans.
New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees had been critical of Kaepernick’s form of protest.
“I disagree. I wholeheartedly disagree,” Brees said to ESPN of the form of protest. “Not that he wants to speak out about a very important issue. No, he can speak out about a very important issue. But there’s plenty of other ways that you can do that in a peaceful manner that doesn’t involve being disrespectful to the American flag.”
• Tommy Chalk can be reached at tchalk@washingtontimes.com.
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