What Jerry Jones told Cowboys players before he joined their national anthem demonstration
President Donald Trump's comments ahead of Week 3's NFL games brought the protests during the national anthem to the forefront of the football conversation. In response to the divisive remarks, more than 150 players participated in anthem demonstrations with several team owners joining as well.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones played his own role in the anthem demonstrations.
And though the Cowboys had agreed on their own way to address Trump's comments, a pregame speech from Jones changed that direction. Instead, Jones was going to join the team on the field in Arizona. Jones and the team kneeled before the anthem and stood when the song started. Amazon's Season 3 of All or Nothing gave an inside look at Jones' address to the team.
Jones said to the team, emphasizing "unity" rather than Colin Kaepernick's original focus on protesting against racial injustice:
"What we want to do is basically go out together. I want to go to the center of the field with everybody right before the national anthem, kneel with you at that time on the basis of unity."
He continued, telling them to stand when the anthem starts:
"I want us, the Dallas Cowboys, I want us to -- in front of God and everybody -- walk out there together all of us and kneel down in the name of unity.
"I love you. I love what we do. So, trust me, trust me because then they're gonna play the national anthem. And I do want you to stand with me. I do want you to stand."
The following week against Los Angeles, Jason Garrett simply told the team that they were standing for the anthem like any other week.
Season 3 of All or Nothing is streaming on Prime Video.
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