Jets player demanded support from NFL leaders amid anthem protests: report

A linebacker for the New York Jets played a key role in demanding support from NFL owners during a recent meeting between players and owners over protests during the national anthem.

ESPN reports that New York Jets linebacker Demario Davis stood up in the middle of a meeting in New York earlier this month and told assembled NFL team owners that unless they began showing public support for athletes who chose to kneel during the national anthem, they will face major problems in the future.

“I’m going to break it down for you guys. You guys aren’t supporting us, and until you do, there’s going to be an issue,” Davis said, according to the report.

“Guys will stand up if you hear them,” he added.

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The remarks were reportedly well received by both owners and players, who had convened the Oct. 17 meeting to address the growing crisis facing the league caused by President Trump’s call for NFL owners to fire players who kneel during the anthem.

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank reportedly told Davis after the meeting that he “missed his calling” to be a great public speaker.

During a fiery campaign rally in Alabama in September, Trump said to cheers that NFL owners should bench or fire players who kneel during the anthem, referring to any such player as a “son of a bitch.”

“If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL, or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect our Great American Flag (or Country) and should stand for the National Anthem. If not, YOU’RE FIRED. Find something else to do!” Trump later tweeted.

Despite the meeting earlier in October, tensions are still high between NFL owners and players.

On Friday, Houston Texans owner Bob McNair was forced to apologize for remarks made during the meeting when it was revealed he told other owners that “we can’t have inmates running the prison.”

Troy Vincent, a former NFL player, responded to McNair during the meeting, saying that his comment was offensive and that he did not feel like an “inmate” during his NFL career.

McNair personally apologized to Vincent after the meeting.

“I regret that I used that expression. I never meant to offend anyone and I was not referring to our players. I used a figure of speech that was never intended to be taken literally. I would never characterize our players or our league that way and I apologize to anyone who was offended by it,” McNair said Friday.