Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins wasn’t in a talking mood at the team facility on Wednesday, so instead, he held up a series of handwritten signs in an effort to refocus the public’s attention on why NFL players have been protesting inequality over the last two seasons.
‘YOU AREN’T LISTENING,’ read the first of several signs Jenkins held up to the large media contingent gathered around his locker after Wednesday’s off-season team activity.
The Eagles were scheduled to attend an event at the White House on Tuesday, but the gathering was cancelled on Monday when President Donald Trump abruptly rescinded the invitation after it was learned that only small handful of players planned on attending. In a statement the White House suggested the Eagles players objected to Trump’s insistence that they stand for the anthem in spite of the fact that every member of Philadelphia’s roster stood for The Star-Spangled Banner throughout the 2017 regular season and postseason.
Trump has been at odds with NFL players over the national anthem protests, which were started by then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016 as a way to address police brutality against minorities, as well as other societal issues. Trump has accused the players of disrespecting the flag, and suggested that anyone of them who doesn’t stand for the anthem should leave the country.
Malcolm Jenkins let his handwritten signs do the talking for him on Wednesday
Like many players, Jenkins felt the message of the protests was being lost in the controversy
Rather than be pulled into a war of words with the White House, the outspoken Jenkins instead decided to remind reporters that players have been protesting inequality and police brutality against minorities for a specific reason that has nothing to do with disrespecting the flag, country, or military veterans.
According to ESPN, some Jenkins’ sign were as follows:
- ‘You aren’t listening’
- ‘More than 60% of people in prison are people of color’
- ‘Any given night 500,000 sit in jail. Convicted? No. Too Poor? Yes #EndCashBail’
- ‘[Eagles defensive end] Chris Long gave his entire year’s salary to educational initiatives’
- ‘[Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback] Colin Kaepernick gave $1 million to charity’
- ‘[New England Patriots teammates] Devin McCourty Duron Harmon, Matt Slater and Johnson Bademosi lobbied to raise the age from 7 to 12 entering the criminal justice system’
- ‘in 2018 439 people shot and killed by police (thus far)’
- ‘Nearly 200,000 juveniles enter the adult criminal system each year, most for non-violent crimes. #StopSchoolPipelineToPrison’
Jenkins dropped the signs to the floor in an effort to let photographers take pictures
The Associated Press reported that only two players planned to attend the ceremony at the White House, which was canceled by Trump in a critical statement Monday night.
‘It’s a little bit disappointing as a country right now that we’re so divided, I think that’s the bigger disappointment,’ said Eagles center Jason Kelce, who became a folk hero in Philadelphia for an impassioned, profane rally speech he gave after a day of antics during the city’s Super Bowl parade.
The players did not urge a collective decision on what to do as a team, giving each player his own option of whether to take the trip.
Defensive end Chris Long, who skipped the trip last year when he was with the New England Patriots and again decided early to not attend, said he hopes athletes on championship teams in all sports won’t have to make the decision when Trump’s term is up for re-election in 2020.
‘The players didn’t create this division (in the country),’ Long said. ‘I’m extremely proud to be part of this team.’
Malcolm Jenkins (No. 27) and Ron Brooks (No. 33) raise their fists in protest during the national anthem before a game last year. Trump disinvited the team from the White House event rather than see a tiny contingent show up for what had been a scheduled gathering
In one statement, Trump claimed the team didn’t show proper respect for the country during the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner last season.
Of course, no Eagles players took a knee during the national anthem last season.
While only a few players were planned on attending, Eagles coach Doug Pederson did say he was looking forward to visiting the White House on Tuesday and being recognized for the team’s Super Bowl LII win before the invitation was withdrawn.
But even as he found himself at the center of a national debate over players protests, Pederson still tried his best to stick to football.
‘What you’ve seen and what you’ve heard is enough,’ the no-nonsense Pederson said Wednesday before the Eagles’ off-season team activity (OTA) practice.
‘This is going to be a blanket statement, and then I’m not going to discuss it further,’ Pederson began. ‘I was looking forward to going down, obviously. We did something last season that was very special. It’s a milestone here in the city of Philadelphia, our organization, and I was looking forward to going down and being recognized as world champions.
‘It is what it is. We’re here today. We’ve got an OTA practice. I’m focused on these next couple of days, getting through next week and onto training camp. So that’s where we’re at.’
The White House actually issued two statements about the decision to rescind an invitation to the Super Bowl champion Eagles, going so far as to accuse the team of engaging in a political stunt by trying to reschedule the event when it was learned that only a small contingent of players planned on attending.
The team team itself has stayed out of the fray by not releasing any official statements in direct response to the White House.
Unlike his players, Doug Pederson did not want to address any issues about the White House
Pederson mostly kept to the same non-confrontational script, although he did take a moment to dispute the White House’s suggestion that the team had ‘abandoned its fans.’
‘We have the greatest fans in the NFL,’ Pederson said. ‘… Our true fans, they’re beside us, we’re beside them. We love everything about the people who come and watch us and support us, whether it’s in training camp or in the stadium. I can’t say enough good things about what our fans have done for us. The support, the love we felt all offseason and we continue to feel.’
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Tuesday that Trump viewed the move as a political stunt.
‘The Eagles are the ones who tried to changed their commitment at the eleventh hour,’ Sanders said. ‘If this wasn’t a political stunt by the Eagles franchise, then they wouldn’t have planned to attend the event and then backed out at the last minute.’
A statement from the president released on Monday reads, in full:
‘The Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the White House with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow. They disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country. The Eagles wanted to send a smaller delegation, but the 1,000 fans planning to attend the event deserve better. These fans are still invited to the White House to be part of a different type of ceremony — one that will honor our great country, pay tribute to the heroes who fight to protect it, and loudly and proudly play the National Anthem. I will be there at 3:00 p.m. with the United States Marine Band and the United States Army Chorus to celebrate America.’
Late Monday night, the Eagles issued a statement that made no mention of the White House.
‘It has been incredibly thrilling to celebrate our first Super Bowl Championship. Watching the entire Eagles community come together has been an inspiration. We are truly grateful for all of the support we have received and we are looking forward to continuing our preparations for the 2018 season,’ it read.
The crowd came to President Trump’s aid and booed the heckler who shouted: ‘Stop hiding behind the armed services and the National Anthem. Let’s hear it for the Eagles.’
One spectator took a knee during the National Anthem during the White House event Tuesday