Through his agent, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans announced that he will no longer protest during the national anthem.
Evans sat during the anthem in his most recent matchup against the Chicago Bears. Evans said that he protested during the anthem over his dissatisfaction with the presidential election results. Following the game, Evans said that as long as Donald Trump was the presidential-elect, he would not stand for the anthem.
Evans has since had a change of heart, citing his desire not to disrespect the United States military.
“I want to start by apologizing to all the U.S. military members, their families, and the fans who I offended by my actions on Sunday,” Evans said in the statement. “It was never my intention as I have tremendous respect for the men and women who serve our country.”
“I have very strong emotions regarding some of the many issues that exist in our society today. I chose to sit as an expression of my frustration towards this year’s election. It was very personal for me, as it was for so many Americans.”
“With that being said, I will not sit again during the National Anthem because I want to focus my efforts on finding more effective ways to communicate my message and bring about change by supporting organizations and movements that fight for equal rights for minorities.”
“This Sunday, I will be back to standing with my teammates.”
National anthem protests first began when San Fransisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick opted to kneel during the anthem to protest the United States’ ongoing racial injustice issues. Many NFL players have since joined Kaepernick in his protest.
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