Lions' Akeem Spence: My Dad Was Denied A Job Because I Knelt During Anthem
By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid
Protesting typically carries a cost, a reality to which the Lions' Akeem Spence was introduced in a harsh manner.
Spence knelt during the anthem before Detroit's game against Atlanta on Sunday.
Then his father was denied a job because of it.
Spence shared the news on Twitter Thursday afternoon.
Got some awful news from my father a contractor deny giving him a job on doing a house because of my peaceful protest #smh
— Akeem Spence (@AkeemSpence) September 28, 2017
Spence was one of eight Lions to kneel during the anthem as the rest of the team locked arms in defiance of Donald Trump's comments that players who don't stand for the anthem are "sons of bitches" who should be fired by their owners.
Cornelius Washington, A'Shawn Robinson, Akeem Spence, Jeremiah Ledbetter, Steve Longa, Abdullah, Whitehead, Reeves-Maybin kneel for anthem pic.twitter.com/Z3qRcz2Ozy
— Will Burchfield (@burchie_kid) September 24, 2017
On Sunday, Spence said of Trump's comments, "It's just crazy and it's wrong. It shouldn't be like that. There are hard-working people who give back to the community. Our owners are the same way and they have the utmost respect for us and we have the utmost respect for our country and our flag. For our head guy to say something like that about our owners, what they should do -- no, man. I can't. Right is right, wrong is wrong.
"I feel like he was wrong in that sense. We just came out and acted in unity together and just made a statement."
Glover Quin said on Sunday the Lions' protest would "probably continue," and Golden Tate echoed Quin on Wednesday.
Tate added the team hadn't yet determined the form of its next protest.
"It's important for us to stand up and use our voices and be as peaceful as possible. I do anticipate more happening. We're going to collectively talk about it, what we can do, because we want to act as one. That's the whole point of this," Tate said.