Tennessee Titans star Delanie Walker said he and his family have received death threats since he told fans not to come to games if they felt disrespected by NFL players’ protests.
The Pro Bowl tight end shared the ‘heartbreaking’ threats on Thursday night in a post on Facebook.
‘The death threats that my family and I have received since my comments are heartbreaking,’ Walker, 33, wrote.
‘The racist and violent words directed at me and my son only serve as another reminder that our country remains divided and full of hateful rhetoric.’
Tennessee Titans tight end Delanie Walker said he and his family have received death threats since he told fans not to come to games if they felt disrespected by NFL players’ protests (Pictured, left, September 2016, and right, January 2015)
He says the comments have been directed at him and his son, Delanie Walker Jr (pictured together, July 2014)
On Thursday, Walker wrote: ‘The death threats that my family and I have received since my comments are heartbreaking. The racist and violent words directed at me and my son only serve as another reminder that our country remains divided and full of hateful rhetoric’
Walker and the Tennessee Titans joined the Seattle Seahawks in staying inside their locker rooms during the national anthem on Sunday, and Walker walked out arm-in-arm with quarterback Marcus Mariota.
The following day, he told fans that if they felt the protests were disrespectful to not come.
‘And the fans that don’t want to come to the games, OK, bye,’ Walker said Monday. ‘I mean if you feel that’s something where we’re disrespecting you, don’t come to the games.
‘You don’t have to. No one is telling you to come to the game. It’s your freedom and your choice to do that.’
The Titans had no comment Thursday night.
This spring, Walker took part in the NFL’s USO Tour of the Middle East. He said in his Facebook post he gained an even greater appreciation for the men and women who defend American values.
‘These words of hate will only fuel me in my efforts to continue my work reaching out to different community groups, listening to opposing voices, and honoring the men and women in the Armed Forces who risk their lives every day so that we may have this dialogue,’ he wrote.
Walker and the Titans joined the Seattle Seahawks in staying inside their locker rooms during the national anthem on Sunday, and Walker walked out arm-in-arm with quarterback Marcus Mariota (Pictured left to right: Walker, Mariota, Wesley Woodyard,Jurrell Casey, and Brian Orakpo walk out onto the field with arms linked in the September 24 game against the Seahawks)
The following day, Walker told fans that if they felt the protests were disrespectful to not come (Pictured, Walker, right, in October 2015 playing against the Atlanta Falcons)
This spring, Walker took part in the NFL’s USO Tour of the Middle East. He said in his Facebook post he gained an even greater appreciation for the men and women who defend American values
Walker isn’t the only NFL player dealing with a backlash from protesting.
Detroit Lions defensive tackle Akeem Spence shared on Twitter earlier Thursday that his father, a contractor, was denied a job on a house due to his protest.
‘Got some awful news from my father a contractor deny giving him a job on doing a house because of my peaceful protest #smh,’ he wrote.
Spence was one of eight Lions players who took a knee while linking arms with most of their teammates and owner Martha Ford during the playing of the national anthem before Sunday’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
Detroit Lions defensive tackle Akeem Spence (pictured, August 2017) shared on Twitter earlier Thursday that his father, a contractor, was denied a job on a house due to his protest
Spence was among the Lions players who took a knee before their game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday
He told the Detroit Free Press on Wednesday that his taking a knee was ‘no disrespect to the American flag’.
‘It’s about right and wrong, like I always say,’ Spence said.
‘And what’s right is right and what’s wrong is wrong. It’s no offense to nobody, no disrespect. Just like I always tell people, love one another and we’ll be alright.’
On Thursday night, the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears all stood for the national anthem, arms linked (pictured)
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (second from left) insisted before the game on Thursday that it was not a protest but ‘a unified demonstration of love and solidarity’
They asked fans to join in on what they described as their ‘call to connect’, some of whom did (pictured)
On Thursday night, the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears all stood for the national anthem, arms linked.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers insisted before the game on Thursday that it was not a protest but ‘a unified demonstration of love and solidarity.’
They asked fans to join in on what they described as their ‘call to connect’, some of whom did.
They were surrounded by others who placed their hands on their hearts, waved American flags and held signs condemning the protests which have swept across the NFL and spread into other pockets of pop culture since President Donald Trump condemned them last week.