Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall took a knee during the national anthem before his team’s season opener against the Carolina Panthers Thursday night.
A college teammate of Colin Kaepernick, Marshall has now joined the ranks of athletes speaking out against injustice and discrimination.
“The message is I’m against social injustice,” Marshall told NFL.com.
“I’m not against the military or police or America at all. I’m against social injustice and I feel like this was the right thing to do. I feel like this is the right platform. This is our only platform to really be heard. I feel like a lot of times people want us to just shut up and entertain them, shut up and play football. But we have voices as well. We’re actually educated individuals that went to college. So when we have an opinion and we speak it, I feel like a lot of people bash us for what we have to say.”
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“I did it and I don’t regret it,” said Marshall, adding that he plans to donate money to military veterans. “I knew what territory it came with, and I decided to do it.”
Marshall shares that he is supported by his family in his decision to protest.