Lustiges, privates usw. » DENVER (AP) — Last season

Seattle Seahawks T-Shirts , the Seattle Seahawks led the league when it came to the number of players willing to make a statement while the national anthem played.To start this season, that wave of Seahawks has dwindled to only two players.Linemen Duane Brown and Quinton Jefferson walked off the field and waited in the tunnel while a field-sized American flag was unfurled and the national anthem played before their season opener Sunday in Denver.In a league where more than 200 players once took some sort of action to protest police brutality and social injustice in America during the anthem, The Associated Press counted fewer than 10 across the league who did so on the NFL’s opening Sunday. Only two of them — Albert Wilson and Kenny Stills of the Dolphins — kneeled while the “Star-Spangled Banner” played.None of which bothered Brown much. He says he’s committed to what he’s doing.“I made my decision,” he said. “That was my decision. I wasn’t paying attention to what other teams or other players are doing.”The lower numbers might reflect a new strategy many players are embracing to draw attention to the issues Colin Kaepernick raised when he began kneeling for the anthem in 2016. The then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback was looking to shine a light on issues impacting African American communities.Since then, a group of NFL players have formed the Players Coalition . They want to move the focus away from the anthem, which has become a lightning rod, in part because of President Donald Trump’s continued criticism of players who don’t stand during the anthem.“We’re trying to move past the rhetoric of what’s right or what’s wrong in terms of the anthem, and really focus on the systematic issues that are plaguing our communities,” said Malcolm Jenkins of the Eagles, one of the group’s co-founders, who is no longer protesting during the anthem.And yet, if Kaepernick is on board with all of that, it wasn’t clear Sunday. He took to twitter to praise Wilson and Stiles .“My Brothers (Stills) and (Wilson) continue to show their unwavering strength by fighting for the oppressed,” Kaepernick said in his tweet. “They have not backed down, even when attacked and intimidated. … Love is at the root of our resistance.”Kaepernick’s message got through to his friends in Miami.“I know he has our back,” Stills said. “Really, there has been a huge difference between when we first started protesting and now. A lot of people are reaching out and supporting us https://www.theseahawksfanshop.com/hats , so I really appreciate that. To everybody out there … let’s keep doing our best to make positive change and have these conversations and make our country a better place.”Since opting out of his contract after 2016, Kaepernick has been unable to land a job with an NFL team and is suing the league for collusion.But his voice is still being heard. Last week, Nike introduced an ad featuring the quarterback and his message: “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.”Other than Stills, Wilson and the two Seahawks, Dolphins defensive lineman Robert Quinn raised his fist during the anthem. Niners receiver Marquise Goodwin did the same at San Francisco’s game at Minnesota. In Los Angeles, Chargers left tackle Russell Okung raised his fist. And back in Denver, Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas and linebacker Brandon Marshall retreated to their tunnel while the anthem played.Marshall sent out a statement touting a charity designed to help people who are on the verge of homelessness.“It is time that we build social currency by way of empowering our future generations,” Marshall said. “This begins by addressing the most fundamental needs — by feeding the minds and bodies.”This came hours after Trump opened the day with a tweet that took digs at the NFL, linking low ratings for Thursday night’s opener between Atlanta and Philadelphia (lowest for an opener since 2008) to players who refuse to stand for the anthem.“If the players stood proudly for our Flag and Anthem, and it is all shown on broadcast, maybe ratings could come back? Otherwise worse!” he tweeted.CBS and Fox, which carried Sunday afternoon’s games, did not televise the anthem.However, NBC did show the anthem Thursday night (but not before Sunday night’s Bears-Packers game), and no players kneeled or protested in other ways.But while the tumult over the anthem appears to be dying down, the NFL still hasn’t collaborated with the players union to come up with a definitive solution.In May Seattle Seahawks Hoodie , the league briefly put a policy in place, but rescinded it after the union filed a grievance. The union and league are still negotiating. Brown, of the Seahawks, said he has not received any message from the union to tamp down the protest.“I don’t think that would be the best idea to try to get people to move on from it,” he said. “The country hasn’t moved on from it, so I’m not going to move on from it either.” RENTON, Wash. (AP) — New Seattle Seahawks linebacker Mychal Kendricks will play Monday night against the Chicago Bears despite his pending jail sentence.Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Saturday that Kendricks would make his Seattle debut due to major injuries at linebacker. The Seahawks ruled out both of its starting linebackers, K.J. Wright and Bobby Wagner, due to injuries. Wright is still a week away from returning from minor knee surgery and Wagner suffered a groin injury in Week 1.“The background that he has and the instincts that he has and he’s been coached really well over the years, he really has a chance to pick it up really quickly and get in there and help us,” Carroll said. “He had three really good days and studied like crazy with the coaches and he’s ready to help us out.”Kendricks playing creates an odd situation for all involved considering his guilty plea last week on insider trading charges in Philadelphia. He’s not expected to be sentenced in the case until January and the NFL has yet to impose any discipline meaning he’s eligible to play. Kendricks said Saturday he was unsure if he’d have a chance to play this season after being released by the Browns on Aug. 29.“It’s been pretty hard. It’s been very hard. But, I’ll overcome this, and I’ll overcome just like I’ve overcome other obstacles in my life,” Kendricks said. “Like I said, I’m very blessed to have this opportunity, so I treated it as such. But, football is helping me a lot.”Carroll said the Seahawks did extensive homework on Kendricks and there was continued contact with the league office about the potential of the roster move. Carroll said Kendricks deserves a second chance.“We have come to learn who he is and what he’s all about and how remorseful he was and how he admitted to his mistake a long time ago Gary Jennings Jr. Jersey ,” Carroll said.How long Kendricks is with the Seahawks will be a lingering question. The league could impose discipline at any time. Seattle also expects to have Wright and Wagner potentially back as early as Week 3 against Dallas.“Other teams were interested, but as far as I’m concerned, the Seahawks were the ones that were most interested and that’s why I’m here,” Kendricks said.Kendricks signed a one-year contract with the Browns in June after winning a Super Bowl title last season with the Philadelphia Eagles, and he was released by Cleveland after the charges were filed.Federal prosecutors said Kendricks used tips from an acquaintance to make about $1.2 million in illegal profits on four major trading deals.Prosecutors say his co-defendant, Damilare Sonoiki, was paid $10,000 in kickbacks in the scheme from 2014-2015, as well as receiving perks such as tickets to Eagles games and tagging along to a music video shoot or nightclub appearances.Kendricks did not comment about his legal situation on Saturday.“As of right now, I have the opportunity and I want to make the most of that,” he said.NOTES: Seattle released veteran DT Tom Johnson and signed S Shalom Luani from the practice squad. Johnson was one of Seattle’s significant offseason signings to bolster the defensive line, but Carroll said the move was needed for depth in the secondary. Carroll said there was hope of potentially bringing Johnson back later in the season if he doesn’t sign somewhere else. … Seattle listed CB Tre Flowers (hamstring) and G D.J. Fluker (hamstring) as doubtful for Monday’s game. Flowers, a rookie, started the opener after Dontae Johnson was placed on injured reserve last week.