Seattle Seahawks announce their pregame 'unity' plan for national anthem

Frank Schwab
·NFL writer

Mayor Mike Courts of DuPont, a small town outside Seattle, canceled a Seattle Seahawks preseason rally this week because the Seahawks had been discussing what to do for the national anthem before Sunday’s regular-season opener.

That looks silly now.

The Seahawks did discuss what to do as a team, and they settled on interlocking arms and standing during the anthem as a sign of unity, receiver Doug Baldwin said in a Facebook video.

“We honor those who have fought for the freedom we cherish, and we stand to ensure the riches of freedom and the security of justice for all people,” Baldwin said in the video. “Progress can and will be made only if we stand together.”

This was Baldwin’s caption on the post:

Martin Luther King Jr. once said:

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

We live in the greatest country in the world because we have taken challenges head on. We have made the uncomfortable the norm. On one of the most memorable days in US history, we have an opportunity to unite again for a cause. To show why our country is so great. #BuildABridge

Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane sat during last week’s national anthem, protesting racial injustice as San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick had already done. It’s unclear if Lane will stand with his teammates Sunday, though Baldwin’s video indicated the entire team will lock arms.

That seems to be a non-divisive way for the Seahawks to get their own message across.

Jeremy Lane sat down during Thursday's national anthem (AP)
Jeremy Lane sat down during Thursday’s national anthem (AP)

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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!