Dak Prescott stands by anthem comments despite backlash
If there is one thing you can say about Dak Prescott, it’s that he is not a flip-flopper.
Prescott is standing by his comments on the national anthem despite the backlash he has faced. The Dallas Cowboys quarterback said from training camp last month that he does not believe a football game is the “time or venue” for a protest.
“When you bring such a controversy to the stadium, to the game, to the field, it takes away. It takes away from that. I’m up for taking the next step … and not just kneeling,” Prescott said in late July.
Cowboys’ quarterback Dak Prescott: I’d never protest during the anthem, and I don’t think that’s the time or the venue to do so pic.twitter.com/2xbb2NnhIJ
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) July 28, 2018
Prescott was the target of criticism from those who believe his viewpoint is impeding the social progress of African-Americans. One Raiders player took a shot at Dak over his comments. Then an Arlington artist made Prescott look bad with a mural depiction of him as being in the sunken place from the movie “Get Out.”
Prescott was asked about the mural on Sunday and said he knew he would face backlash and that he is not surprised.
“As I said, I made my statement. I stand by what I said. I just said some people may have misunderstood it or whatever. I feel strongly about what I said. And it is what it is.”
He also clarified that he is not opposed to the mission and goals of those who protest during the anthem; he just disagrees with the venue.
“I think there was a little misunderstanding of the fact of what I believe in,” Prescott said via the Star-Telegram. “I never said I didn’t believe in social injustice and things that were going on. I just said I didn’t think that the national anthem was the time. It’s two minutes out of our day that we could also be spending embracing what our country should be and what our country is going to be one day that we know that it’s not right now. That is the sad part about it. That it’s not.
“I respect everybody. And power to the people that kneel. That is what they believe in and they should be able to kneel. For me, the game of football has been such a peace. It’s a moment for me to be at peace and think about all the great things our country does have.”
The counter to that is that the issues of injustice are so serious, some players felt it was necessary to take that extreme measure to get attention and focus on the cause.
As we enter the 2018 season, the anthem issue remains at the forefront of discussions, which is something Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is not happy about.