Raiders staff surrounded Marshawn Lynch so people couldn't see him sitting for the anthem

The Raiders v. Broncos game Sunday showed innovation when it comes to players moving the NFL protests forward

By Rachel Leah

Published October 2, 2017 11:37AM (EDT)

Marshawn Lynch (Getty/Christian Petersen)
Marshawn Lynch (Getty/Christian Petersen)

As President Donald Trump tries to quell NFL protests and the league's owners and coaches attempt to co-opt them, players continue to find their own ways to take a stand against racism during the singing of the national anthem.

This was demonstrated on both sides of the field during the Oakland Raiders versus Denver Broncos game Sunday.

Raiders Running Back Marshawn Lynch showed up to the game in a t-shirt that read: "Everybody vs. Trump." When the national anthem played, as Lynch has done all season, he sat while every other player stood.

This time, however, Raiders staff covered Lynch, though it is unclear whether it was an attempt to deflect from his protest or simply stop the media from turning it into a photo opportunity.

Small hoard of Raiders staffers are standing around Marshawn Lynch during national anthem. No photo opps. He's only Raiders player sitting.

— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) October 1, 2017

Across the field, every Broncos player also stood during the Star Spangled Banner, where linebacker Brandon Marshall clenched his left fist and raised it in the air in a Black Power salute. Raising a fist during the national anthem harkens back to the iconic protests of Tommie Smith and John Carlos during their medal ceremony at the 1968 Olympics.

Marshall started kneeling during the anthem last season and has lost at least two sponsorships because of it.

Trump, for his part, continues to push forward the hashtag #StandForOurAnthem and tweet endlessly about the NFL.


By Rachel Leah

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