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One of the Few Remaining NFL Anthem Kneelers Nominated for Major Award

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By any metric, national anthem protesting within the NFL is fading.

Not since Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid first began kneeling for the anthem in 2016 has the league had so few players protesting the anthem.

It’s certainly a far cry from Week 3 of the 2017 NFL season, where virtually the entire league protested in some way during the anthem, much to the chagrin of some players.

Among those still clinging to their anthem protests, three of them are Miami Dolphins.

Defensive end Robert Quinn raised his fist during the anthem in Week 1, while receivers Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson knelt. Wilson is currently injured, but Stills continued to protest after Week 1.

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“We started the protest two years ago now — three years ago now — and we’re not going anywhere. It’s not going to change. Activism isn’t something you just kind of get involved in and then turn your back on it,” Stills said in September, according to USA Today.

That being said, considering the massive PR hit that the NFL took during the peak of the protests and the fact that television ratings are only now just beginning to recover, you’d think the league would do what it can to keep coverage of anthem protesters to a minimum.

Instead, the Dolphins have decided to nominate Stills for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award. It’s actually the second straight year they have done so.

Do you think Kenny Stills should be named Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year?

“Considered one of the League’s most prestigious honors, the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award recognizes an NFL player for outstanding community service activities off the field as well as excellence on the field,” the Dolphins said on their website announcing Stills’ nomination.

They said he represents “the best of the NFL’s commitment to philanthropy and community impact.”

It’s a curious move considering how utterly divisive the anthem protests have been since their inception in 2016.

To be fair, it’s certainly within Stills’ rights as an American citizen to peaceably protest.

And to give credit where it’s due, he has done extensive charity work within his community, including visiting VA medical centers on 9/11.

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But by that same token, NFL players should still be cognizant of the fact that many Americans find the action to be of the utmost disrespect to the flag, the military and police officers.

That makes it all the more vexing that the Dolphins would want to put those actions on a pedestal by nominating Stills for such a prestigious award.

The 2018 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award will be announced during “NFL Honors,” a special awards show airing the day before Super Bowl LIII on Feb. 2, 2019.

The most recent recipient was Houston Texans star J.J. Watt, who raised more than $37 million for Hurricane Harvey relief.

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Bryan Chai has written news and sports for The Western Journal for more than five years and has produced more than 1,300 stories. He specializes in the NBA and NFL as well as politics.
Bryan Chai has written news and sports for The Western Journal for more than five years and has produced more than 1,300 stories. He specializes in the NBA and NFL as well as politics. He graduated with a BA in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona. He is an avid fan of sports, video games, politics and debate.
Birthplace
Hawaii
Education
Class of 2010 University of Arizona. BEAR DOWN.
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English, Korean
Topics of Expertise
Sports, Entertainment, Science/Tech




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