Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans says his protest of the national anthem will not continue.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Evans apologized for offending any members of the U.S. military and said he will find more effective ways to express his beliefs in the future.
“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 wrote in the statement, which was given to ESPN’s Josina Anderson. “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.”
Evans took a knee during the national anthem prior to his team’s game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday. He later revealed that the gesture was in response to Donald Trump being elected president, which Evans considers a “joke.” You can read more of the receiver’s thoughts here.
Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter said Monday that he was “disappointed” in Evans’ decision. The former Texas A&M star also took a lot of heat when folks discovered that his social media activity indicated he didn’t even vote in the election last Tuesday.
