evidence: An image shared on Facebook claims Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told his players they are athletes and "not activists" in reference to the controversy surrounding kneeling for the national anthem. [...] Kneeling during the national anthem first became a subject of national debate in 2016 after San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeled during a National Football League preseason game to protest racial injustice and police brutality, according to Britannica. Since then, numerous professional athletes have taken to kneeling during the national anthem. [...] Tomlin has commented on players kneeling for the national anthem in the past. In 2020, he said the team and organization would support players who decide to kneel for the national anthem, according to ESPN.