Cowboys Players Take A Knee With Owner Jerry Jones Before Standing For Anthem In Arizona

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who donated $1 million to President Trump’s inauguration and previously called protests during the national anthem “disappointing,” took a knee with his entire team before the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and their Monday night NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals.

The Cowboys knelt as a team before the anthem began, but then stood as the anthem was sung.

The Cardinals stood locked in arms with current and former military service members in a show of solidarity and patriotism.

Jerry Jones and the Cowboys kneeled before the national anthem. pic.twitter.com/WduBFX3I5M

— SB Nation (@SBNation) September 26, 2017

ALERT / Arm-In-Arm & then kneel in unison BEFORE Anthem – #Cowboys players AND Jerry Jones pic.twitter.com/HQH8PuSQPP

— mike fisher ✭ (@fishsports) September 26, 2017

In 2016, Jones said protests during the national anthem were “really disappointing.”

“I just feel so strongly that the act of recognizing the flag is a salute to our country and all of the people that have sacrificed so that we can have the liberties we have,” Jones said at the time. “I feel very strongly that everyone should save that moment for the recognition of the flag in a positive way, so I like the way the Cowboys do it.”

This comes after President Trump’s divisive comments and unprecedented attacks on NFL players keeling in protest during the national anthem.

“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. He is fired,’ ” Trump said at a rally in Alabama for Senate candidate Sen. Luther Strange (R) on Friday.

The Hill added:

Trump’s comments brought a wave of backlash from NFL players, coaches and executives over the weekend, and the White House on Monday sought to defend Trump’s continued tweets aimed at the NFL.

“This isn’t about the president being against anyone,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said at the daily press briefing. “This is about the president and millions of Americans being for something.”