▁media , ▁he ▁claimed , ▁“ I ▁am ▁not ▁going ▁to ▁stand ▁up ▁to ▁show ▁pride ▁in ▁a ▁flag ▁for ▁a ▁country ▁that ▁opp ress es ▁black ▁people ▁and ▁people ▁of ▁color .” ▁He ▁continued , ▁“ “ If ▁they ▁take ▁football ▁away , ▁my ▁end ors ements ▁from ▁me , ▁I ▁know ▁that ▁I ▁stood ▁up ▁for ▁what ▁is ▁right ,” he ▁says .” ▁According ▁to ▁NFL ▁policy , ▁“ There ▁is ▁no ▁rule ▁saying ▁players ▁must ▁stand ▁during ▁the ▁national ▁anth em ”. ▁ ▁K ae per nick ’ s ▁act ▁caused ▁many ▁other ▁players ▁to ▁also ▁stand ▁during ▁the ▁national ▁anth em . ▁Bob ▁Mc N air , ▁owner ▁of ▁the ▁Houston ▁Tex ans , ▁claimed , ▁“ They ▁can ’ t ▁have ▁the ▁in m ates ▁running ▁the ▁prison ” ▁during ▁a ▁meeting ▁with ▁own ers ▁and ▁no ▁current ▁players . ▁After ▁the ▁meeting ▁finished , ▁T roy ▁Vincent , ▁former ▁corner back ▁for ▁the ▁Miami ▁Dol ph ins , ▁claimed , ▁“ In ▁all ▁my ▁years ▁of ▁playing ▁in ▁the ▁NFL , ▁I ▁have ▁been ▁called ▁every ▁name ▁in ▁the ▁book , ▁including ▁the ▁N - word - but ▁never ▁felt ▁like ▁an ▁in mate ”. ▁Many ▁players ▁took ▁to ▁social ▁media ▁to ▁protest ▁the ▁rac ist ▁r het or ic ▁of ▁Bob ▁Mc N air . ▁Richard ▁Sh erman ▁twe et ed ▁in ▁response , ▁“ I ▁can ▁appreciate ▁p pl ▁being ▁candid . ▁Don ’ t ▁apolog ize ! ▁You ▁meant ▁what ▁you ▁said . ▁Show