President Donald Trump on Friday night called for NFL owners to fire or suspend the “sons of bitches” who protested against police brutality and racism by kneeling or sitting during the National Anthem.
Two days later, Trump continued his comments on Twitter and a number of NFL owners have responded with a statement. That group now includes Clark Hunt, the owner of the Chiefs who issued this statement.
“We are blessed in the National Football League to work with an outstanding group of players who, through their thoughtfulness and generosity, are deeply engaged in their communities. I believe in honoring the American flag and supporting all of those whose sacrifices protect the many freedoms we have in this country, including the right to have differences of opinion. Sports have long been a unifying force - especially in challenging times - and hatred and division have no place in our game. As a nation, we face serious challenges, and I believe as Americans, each of us has a responsibility to engage one another with empathy and humility to gain better understanding of ways we can work together to solve these difficult issues.”
Statement from Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt. pic.twitter.com/DdMruLebOj
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) September 24, 2017
While the statement doesn’t address the president by name - some owner statements have but not all of them - it’s pretty obvious this is in response to Trump’s comments.