Browns TE Seth DeValve becomes first white player to kneel during anthem
On Monday night, the Cleveland Browns formed the largest player anthem protest to date. Numerous players formed a circle and knelt. Among them was tight end Seth DeValve, the first white player to protest by taking a knee.
DeValve’s subtle yet dramatic action culminated a week of football in which several white players displayed support for their African-American teammates during the anthem. Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett has long proclaimed the important of white players joining the cause.
DeValve explained his motivations after the game.
“The United States is the greatest country in the world. It is because it provides opportunities to its citizen that no other country does. The issue is that it doesn’t provide equal opportunity to everybody and I wanted to support my African-American teammates today who wanted to take a knee”
He went on to note that the climate of inequality is even more personal. “I will be raising children that don’t look like me. “
DeValve married Erica Harris, who is African-American, in June. The two met while at Princeton.
Watch DeValve’s entire comments.
#Browns TE Seth DeValve explains why he participated in the prayer during the anthem pic.twitter.com/T8PhmsDKcL
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) August 22, 2017
DeValve follows in the footsteps of white USWNT midfielder Megan Rapinoe who took a knee last year in support of Colin Kaepernick.
