*The Dallas Cowboys, including the coaching staff and owner Jerry Jones, all linked arms and took a knee before their game against the Arizona Cardinals, but it wasn’t during the national anthem.
The gesture of unity took place near the 50-yard line just before a giant American flag was unfurled across the field, drawing some boos from the Cardinals fans. They rose arm-in-arm just before the singing of the anthem by Arizona native Jordin Sparks.
The team kept their arms linked, but stood until the anthem was over.
Jones has been a vocal supporter of Donald Trump and it was unclear if his team would protest during the anthem, as teams across the NFL did Sunday. After the game, Jones said his team both showed unity and respected the flag.
Coach Jason Garrett added: “The biggest thing for us was to show support and to demonstrate, but do it in a way that didn’t involve the American flag and the national anthem. Everybody was behind that.”
Trump tweeted his approval this morning, saying the team’s decision to stand for the anthem is “big progress being made.” He also made sure to point out that the Cowboys were booed as they knelt, and doubled down on his call for NFL owners to ban kneeling during the national anthem altogether.
The booing at the NFL football game last night, when the entire Dallas team dropped to its knees, was loudest I have ever heard. Great anger
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 26, 2017
The NFL has all sorts of rules and regulations. The only way out for them is to set a rule that you can’t kneel during our National Anthem!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 26, 2017
But while Dallas dropped to its knees as a team, they all stood up for our National Anthem. Big progress being made-we all love our country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 26, 2017
The Cardinals, meanwhile, gathered on the goal line as a team, some of them locking arms, during the anthem. Cardinals owner Michael Bidwell and his family and general manager Steve Keim joined in.
Watch USA Today’s video related to last night’s protests below:
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