Eagles players drag Fox News for airing misleading photos of them kneeling in prayer
The Philadelphia Eagles may have won the Super Bowl, but that doesn't mean they're without a feud. Several of their players are now taking Fox News to task for apparently misrepresenting images of them kneeling.
SEE ALSO: The NFL's new anthem rules are here and, yep, they're terrible
On Monday night, after the president "disinvited" the Eagles from the traditional Super Bowl champion White House visit, Fox News aired several photos of Eagles players apparently kneeling during a segment on the kerfuffle.
President @realDonaldTrump says Philadelphia @Eagles won't attend @WhiteHouse ceremony amid national anthem dispute https://t.co/QOOUCg68Gd pic.twitter.com/CRHsoE6ArX
— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 5, 2018
Except, according Eagles player Zach Ertz (shown in at least two of the photos), the pictures of him kneeling weren't of an anthem protest but, rather, were of him kneeling in prayer.
This can’t be serious.... Praying before games with my teammates, well before the anthem, is being used for your propaganda?! Just sad, I feel like you guys should have to be better than this... https://t.co/kYeyH2zXdK
— Zach Ertz (@ZERTZ_86) June 5, 2018
Ertz's teammate Chris Long, who's been critical of the league's handling of the protests in the past, also fired on Fox for the misleading photos.
Imagine wanting to please the boss so very badly that you run stills of guys knelt down PRAYING during pregame. Not one Eagles player knelt for the anthem this yr. Keep carrying his water to sow division while misrepresenting Christian men. Aren’t many of your viewers.. nevermind https://t.co/QdlOvL0btq
— Chris Long (@JOEL9ONE) June 5, 2018
At least one of the photos Fox aired did appear to show two players, Malcolm Jenkins (No. 27) and Rodney McLeod (No. 23), protesting with raised fists during the anthem. Jenkins has been a constant critic of the NFL's handling of the anthem protests as well as the league's new, terrible rules addressing future protests.
But, according to another Eagles player, Torrey Smith, not a single Eagles player actually kneeled in protest during the 2017 NFL regular season. (One player knelt during a preseason game but was cut from the roster before the regular season began.)
If someone took a knee during those 16 games I missed it https://t.co/hzMz9VKQC2
— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) June 5, 2018
Smith also noted that none of the players or team staffers who didn't want to attend refused to go simply because of Trump's stance on the anthem.
So many lies smh
Here are some facts
1. Not many people were going to go
2. No one refused to go simply because Trump “insists” folks stand for the anthem
3. The President continues to spread the false narrative that players are anti military pic.twitter.com/89GUNhJ4eE— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) June 4, 2018
There are a lot of people on the team that have plenty of different views. The men and women that wanted to go should’ve been able to go. It’s a cowardly act to cancel the celebration because the majority of the people don’t want to see you. To make it about the anthem is foolish
— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) June 4, 2018
Late Tuesday morning, Christopher Wallace, Executive Producer of FOX News @ Night with Shannon Bream, issued the following statement regarding the photos:
Making matters even messier for the president, if you can believe that, is last week's report that Trump actually got directly involved with NFL owners over those new anthem rules, pressuring them to adopt tougher punishments for players that protest.
#TheFightContinues pic.twitter.com/TX9IBDxRev
— Malcolm Jenkins (@MalcolmJenkins) May 23, 2018
If Trump throwing a tantrum and canceling a championship team's visit seems familiar, it's because that's exactly what happened back in the fall of 2017 with the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors.
This time, though, Trump will be going hardcore America by throwing a MAGApalooza event that will apparently feature lots of American flags and the singing of the national anthem.
We will proudly be playing the National Anthem and other wonderful music celebrating our Country today at 3 P.M., The White House, with the United States Marine Band and the United States Army Chorus. Honoring America! NFL, no escaping to Locker Rooms!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2018
Authoritarian despots around the world are surely reading Trump's actions with smiles and nods of familiarity.
UPDATE: June 5, 2018, 11:46 a.m. EDT Updated to include the statement from Fox News.