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Donald Trump slams Raiders’ Marshawn Lynch for anthem sitting

Updated November 20, 2017 - 7:25 pm

OAKLAND, Calif. — Marshawn Lynch did Sunday what he’s done before his other 12 games in a Raiders uniform, including the preseason: He sat on the sideline during the U.S. national anthem.

For the first time, President Donald Trump publicly singled him out for it.

Lynch remained seated at Estadio Azteca before a 33-8 loss to the New England Patriots. Following the “Star-Spangled Banner,” he rose to his feet, and the Mexico national anthem played. Trump slammed Lynch on Monday morning, calling for the NFL to suspend him for the remainder of the season if he sits during the U.S. anthem again.

Lynch has not explicitly said why he sits during the anthem.

He has, however, previously expressed support for ex-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who first sat and then knelt on NFL sidelines in 2016 as a form of commentary and protest against racial inequality and misuse of police force he perceived as widespread.

Lynch notably wore a shirt that read “Everybody vs. Trump” before and after an Oct. 1 game against the Denver Broncos.

“Marshawn Lynch of the NFL’s Oakland Raiders stands for the Mexican Anthem and sits down to boos for our National Anthem,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “Great disrespect! Next time NFL should suspend him for remainder of season. Attendance and ratings way down.”

NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart declined comment on Trump’s call for Lynch to be suspended. “We have no particular reaction to it,” he said.

The tweet and ensuing reaction made for an unusual start to Raiders coach Jack Del Rio’s weekly Monday news conference.

“OK, here to recap the game and talk about my wife’s tweet,” Del Rio said, prompting laughter.

Linda Del Rio said Monday morning on Twitter, from an account she later deactivated, that she voted for Trump but “I now regret” it. Her message included images from a Saturday charity appearance in Mexico City. The Jack Del Rio Foundation helped raise $30,000 toward youth there.

Several dozen children also received backpacks stuffed with supplies and Raiders items following an NFL Play 60 event.

“I think she thinks there’s so many things that go on that are good about the league, and she’d like to see that get more attention,” Jack Del Rio said. “I think that’s really what she was saying, but I can’t speak for her. The bottom line is I’m here to coach the football team. That’s my job, that’s my role and that’s what I’m going to do.”

Delisa Lynch, Marshawn’s mother, said her piece on Twitter, too.

“What NFL team do Trump own ? oh yeah they wouldnt let him have one ,!! LMAO,” she said, referring to Trump’s failed attempt to purchase the Buffalo Bills in 2014.

It is unclear the root of Trump’s comment that Lynch was booed. It contradicts multiple first-hand accounts from Estadio Azteca. No boos before or during the national anthem, directed toward Lynch or otherwise, were reported. Trump’s criticism came minutes after Lynch was discussed during “Fox & Friends,” a morning political show of which he is considered to be a regular viewer. Booing was not mentioned during the segment.

Trump’s statement on Lynch is consistent with previous comments he’s made. On Sept. 22, he delivered a speech at an Alabama rally that prompted hundreds of NFL players — most for the first time — to demonstrate during the pregame anthem two days later.

“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out. He’s fired. He’s fired!’ ” Trump said, prompting “USA!” chants. “You know, some owner is going to do that. He’s going to say, ‘That guy that disrespects our flag. He’s fired.’

“That owner — they’re friends of mine, many of them — they don’t know it: They’ll be the most popular person for a week. They’ll be the most popular person in this country because that’s a total disrespect for our heritage; that’s a total disrespect of everything we stand for. And I know we have freedoms, freedom of choice and many different freedoms, but it’s still totally disrespectful.”

Lynch, all in all, was a bright spot for the Raiders’ offense in Sunday’s loss. He finished with 11 carries for 67 yards, including a season-long 25-yard gain in the second quarter. He saw two carries for 6 yards in the second half with the Raiders playing from behind.

Lynch, 31, joined the Raiders in April. He has 97 carries for 390 yards and four touchdowns in 2017.

Said Del Rio: “My stance on the whole thing with Marshawn and all of our players — I’ve told them how I feel. I love this country. I think it’s a great honor to be able to play football, coach football for a living. My thought is that everybody should pay respect to the flag and stand at attention. That’s how I feel about it. But it is America, and everybody can make their choice, and I’ve made that clear, too.”

Contact reporter Michael Gehlken at mgehlken@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GehlkenNFL on Twitter.

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