As Spoiled NFL Players Kneel, This HS Player Thrilled Crowd by Playing Anthem Himself
Anthem-kneeling as a trend may have peaked in the NFL, but there are still bitter clingers who insist on using “The Star-Spangled Banner” as their own personal platform for protest.
However, as one high school football player’s viral act proved, you can still get a lot more attention for standing up for the anthem than for kneeling during it.
In addition to being a football player for Arundel High School in Gambrills, Maryland, Jackson Dean is also an aspiring country singer in his spare time. He’s a darn good one, I might add — one who plans to tour the country after he graduates.
However, his best-known song so far is one that causes every patriotic American to take off their hat and put their right hand over their heart:
At the end of the rendition, his teammates ran through a banner with the American flag waving. Talk about a patriotic end to an awesome version of the national anthem.
Dean has been getting a massive number of views for his rendition of the anthem — over 223,000 as of Monday morning — which he described as “very awesome.”
“I’m an American, and I’m proud of my country,” Dean said during a Saturday appearance on Fox News.
He also gave another performance of the anthem on Fox:
This high school football player took the internet by storm with his rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. And this morning – he performed our national anthem LIVE on FOX & Friends! pic.twitter.com/pk1dSDFlsZ
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) October 27, 2018
He had a lot of fans on the Twitters, as well:
I think this is the most moving performance/rendition I have ever heard🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
— CarolannEubanks (@eubanks1CA) October 27, 2018
Absolutely loved it! This young man will go far. Best of both worlds…American Pride w/ a Country soul. I bet he’s a believer! 🙌 Well done young man. @TheLeeGreenwood watch out. Lol
— kandihenry (@kandihenry4) October 27, 2018
He sounds like Mac Powell of Third Day. Someone sign this kid up as a music artist!
— Terri Green (@TerriGreenUSA) October 27, 2018
As for signing him up, that might not be too far from happening.
“I’ve been flying back and forth to Nashville for a few years and putting a record together, which will be coming out in December. And we put a single out on the radio that’s doing really well,” Dean told Baltimore’s WJZ-TV.
He credits his background with influencing his music.
“Learned to work at a very young age, so that has a lot to do with my music, I like to shed light on blue collar people that are my kind of people,” Dean said.
His head football coach says he’s everything you might want in a high schooler as well.
“He’s what we want our student-athletes to be like as far as behavior and character and all those good things,” Jack Walsh said.
I can imagine. This guy wasn’t just standing for the anthem, he was singing it. Our hats are off to you, Mr. Dean. We look forward to seeing what you’re going to do in the future.
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