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Brady Henderson, ESPN 7y

Richard Sherman: Russell Wilson had 'epiphany of sorts' over Trump

NFL, Seattle Seahawks

RENTON, Wash. -- Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman said Wednesday he's "incredibly proud" of how Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson reacted over the weekend to President Donald Trump's criticism of NFL players who protest during the national anthem.

Sherman told MMQB.com that Wilson had an "epiphany of sorts" when he learned of Trump's comments and that he was prepared to sit or kneel during the national anthem on Sunday. Sherman was struck by Wilson, as a star quarterback, taking a stronger stance on the issue than he had previously taken.

"At times in this league, the quarterbacks are looked at differently, obviously, for various reasons. They touch the ball every play, a lot of times they're the most recognizable names and faces on the team, and they have certain brands to protect in a way and certain images to uphold," Sherman said. "You understand that. You understand that as players, that you don't hear about the biggest-name players in our league [taking strong stances] until recently. Obviously, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers have both spoken on the issue since, but they're very cautious about what they say and what they do.

"I think that [Wilson] opening up and understanding that this was a bigger issue and that it will have an effect on not only on him, but his family and his kids, kind of woke him up. I think that's awesome. I think that he was very human, he was very vulnerable talking to the team, and I think that was a huge moment for him. And I was incredibly proud of him."

The Seahawks met for several hours on Saturday to discuss what action they would take as a team in response to Trump's comments. The Seahawks and Tennessee Titans both decided to not participate in the national anthem prior to their game on Sunday in Nashville, instead remaining in their respective locker rooms.

According to the MMQB story, Wilson had advocated a stronger form of protest than standing and locking arms as a team during the anthem, which the Seahawks did all of last season.

"He was just giving his suggestions about what he thinks we can do as a team together, and we supported what he said," Sherman said Wednesday. "But obviously, there are 53 guys on the team, probably a hundred or so, if you include coaches and practice squad, et cetera, et cetera, so we had to do something that made everybody comfortable."

Before Sunday, Seahawks defensive lineman Michael Bennett had sat on the bench during the national anthem since the start of the preseason. Other Seahawks players such as Sherman and wide receiver Doug Baldwin have been outspoken on issues including racial inequality and police brutality.

It wasn't as though Wilson was not involved in those efforts before Sunday, Sherman said, "But I think that was him being more active than he had been in the past."

During a rally in Alabama on Friday, Trump said NFL owners should respond to players who protest during the national anthem by saying, "Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. He's fired. He's fired." He also encouraged fans to leave the stadium when players sit or kneel in protest.

"It was sad to see that," Wilson said after Sunday's game when asked about Trump's comments. "I think that there are so many guys across the National Football League, not just on our team, but across the National Football League, that truly want to do good things and do do good things. I think ultimately a lot of the guys who have done stuff try to do it without aggression or anything like that. They try to do it peacefully and everything. I know the guys in the National Football League, their hearts are right, the guys that are trying to do stuff and make a change -- and I believe that we're a team that really wants to make a change. It was definitely sad to see that. We were on the plane and I saw that. You think about people who have gone through stuff, and the people from Michael Bennett to people who have gone through stuff all across the country. It's a serious issue and it can't be taken lightly.

"I feel like honestly it's being taken lightly, and I think we need to do something about it, and we have to be able to communicate and we have to be able to work together to show love and make a difference in our world. I think it starts at the top, but it starts in our communities too."

Sherman said the Seahawks are undecided on what they'll do during the national anthem going forward.

"That's still to be discussed, because last week was a pivotal moment for the league in general to stand to show continuity and to show togetherness and to show that we will not be bullied, in a sense, by the president of the United States and his words, we will not be divided by those words, and I think that was awesome," Sherman said. "Each week will be different. I'm sure guys will do different things, but I think the message came across, and I think guys are going to look for more ways to get involved and make a difference in other ways."

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