Denver Broncos

Broncos' Brandon Marshall kneels during national anthem (Video)

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall kneeled down during the national anthem.

It appears that San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has some supporters. He was recently joined in protest by teammate Eric Reid in the 49ers’ last preseason game and now he has one in Denver, as former college teammate and linebacker Brandon Marshall kneeled on national television for the anthem.

mattclapp: Brandon Marshall kneels during the anthem NBC Sunday Night Football: Panthers at… https://t.co/eL9TSPJMIe pic.twitter.com/dTFJGM9MPb

— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) September 9, 2016

That’s a bold decision by Marshall to kneel on that stage. Marshall is likely showing support for Kaepernick as he makes a stand against systemic racism in the United States. It is a very worthy cause and one that deserves to be in our daily conversation.

Many pay more attention to Kaepernick’s actions, but the important thing is what he is protesting. African-Americans don’t receive equal treatment and police officers have a legitimate problem with brutality. It’s an issue that must be addressed. In order to address it, the conversation must start. That’s the true purpose of Kaepernick’s protest and of Marshall’s.

Marshall had 101 tackles for the Broncos last season in 16 starts. He had 1.5 sacks and an interception as well. During the Broncos’ Super Bowl run, Marshall had 14 tackles and a forced fumble in three games. He’s a fairly significant player for the Broncos, which makes his protest even more meaningful.

It appears that Marshall has not been benched for his actions, since he was out with the defense. Marshall will likely discuss his protest after the game. No other players were kneeling during the national anthem.

Kaepernick has a group of athletes supporting him. So far, the Seattle Seahawks, Seth Curry, Jabari Parker, and Tampa Bay Lightning forward J.T. Brown are among the athletes that have shown support for Kaepernick. His support group will likely grow as athletes grow more courageous.