As we draw nearer to the fall season, football is on the horizon. And what would an NFL season be without tons of controversy?
Michael Bennett of the Seattle Seahawks and Marshawn Lynch of the Oakland Raiders have both sat out of the national anthem, though only Bennett claimed this was for protest, while Lynch was only sitting because he has always sat during pregame anthems.
Bennett’s protest had nothing to do with the military and was only about social injustices in the world.
“First of all I want to make sure people understand I love the military – my father was in the military,” said Bennett during a press conference after the game, “I love hot dogs like any other American. I love football like any other American. But I don’t love segregation, I don’t love riots, I don’t love oppression. I don’t love gender slander.”
This marks the beginning of a long season for Bennett, as he plans to sit out the entire season, or until he sees equality. This comes a year after Colin Kaepernick started protesting the national anthem, but it is not likely that Bennett suffers the same fate as Kaepernick.
Kaepernick became a free agent after last season and has yet to be signed by any team, despite claims by many that he is a starting caliber quarterback and is better than some starters that are currently playing.
In other NFL news, former Ohio State Buckeye and current Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has been suspended six games for domestic violence.
Although he has not and will not be criminally charged, the NFL felt after their investigation there was enough evidence to suspend him. Elliott has filed an official appeal of the suspension.
Elliott was suspended after an investigation of his actions during a six-day stretch in July of last year. Elliott’s ex-girlfriend Tiffany Thompson accused him of assaulting her five times in his apartment in Columbus, Ohio.
Elliott was not charged because a prosecutor concluded that Thompson’s statements conflicted with statements from Elliott and other witnesses.
If the suspension is not reduced or eliminated, Elliott could sue the NFL in court for abuse of authority. This could prove difficult to win, as two years ago a federal judge blocked Tom Brady’s suspension, only to have it overturned after an appeal from the NFL.
Suspensions are not just limited to the NFL, as the University of Florida has suspended seven players, including wide receiver Antonio Callaway, for the season opener against the University of Michigan on Sept. 2
The suspension comes after Callaway and others used their student IDs at the school bookstore and then selling items for cash to other students. They were caught when the cards did not have enough funds to purchase the items.
Along with Callaway, offensive lineman Kadeem Telfort, linebackers James Houston and Ventrell Miller and defensive linemen Jordan Smith, Richard Desir-Jones and Keivonnis Davis.
Head coach Jim McElwain gave the following statement as a result:
“We have a small group of players that have made some choices that are extremely disappointing. Action has been taken – they have missed some practice and will miss the Michigan game. We will use this as a learning opportunity and we will have some players step up as we move forward.”
The players will be forced to either return the items to the bookstore or repay them.
Paul Helmers
Reporter