Fists In Air, Taking A Knee: Millionaire Football Players Protest America Again As Trump Says Suspend Them Without Pay

They’re still not happy.

NFL pre-season games kicked off on Thursday night, so, of course, NFL players picked up right where they left off: Protesting during the national anthem.

In all, 15 players from five different teams — the Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens — protested during the Star-Spangled Banner. Two players took a knee, three raised their fists (the old Black Power salute), eight left the field or stayed in their locker room, “one placed his arm on a protesting teammate’s shoulder and another stood with his back to the field as a statement against inequality,” the Daily Mail writes.

Two players in Philadelphia, safety Malcolm Jenkins and cornerback De’Vante Bausby raised their fists during the anthem, while defensive end Chris Long put his hand on Jenkins’ shoulder in support. Defensive end Michael Bennett wasn’t on the field when the anthem started.

[[{“fid”:”36633″,”view_mode”:”default”,”fields”:{“format”:”default”,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:false,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:”Miami Herald / Contributor / Getty Images”},”type”:”media”,”field_deltas”:{“1”:{“format”:”default”,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:false,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:”Miami Herald / Contributor / Getty Images”}},”attributes”:{“title”:”Miami Herald / Contributor / Getty Images”,”class”:”media-element file-default”,”data-delta”:”1″}}]]

In Miami, Dolphins wide receivers Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson both knelt during the anthem while defensive end Robert Quinn held his fist in the air.

In Seattle, Seahawks defensive linesmen Branden Jackson and Quinton Jefferson and offensive linesman Duane Brown left the field before the start of the anthem. In Jacksonville, four Jaguars stayed in the locker room — a move the NFL granted players who want to protest.

Cornerback Jalen Ramsey, linebacker Telvin Smith, and running backs Leonard Fournette and T.J. Yeldon joined teammates on the sideline after the anthem.

In Baltimore, as the teams lined up shoulder to shoulder on the sideline, second-year linebacker Tim Williams stood with his back toward the field.

The NFL in May moved against the protests, which cropped up after San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee is 2016, by banning players from kneeling during the anthem. Owners voted unanimously on the measure (with one abstention).

President Trump was furious about the new protests.

“The NFL players are at it again – taking a knee when they should be standing proudly for the National Anthem. Numerous players, from different teams, wanted to show their ‘outrage’ at something that most of them are unable to define. They make a fortune doing what they love……” he wrote in Twitter on Friday morning.

He added: “….Be happy, be cool! A football game, that fans are paying soooo much money to watch and enjoy, is no place to protest. Most of that money goes to the players anyway. Find another way to protest. Stand proudly for your National Anthem or be Suspended Without Pay!”