Why Did the Raiders Try To Hide Marshawn Lynch During Anthem Protest?

Marshawn Lynch sat down for the national anthem before his Oakland Raiders faced the Denver Broncos on Sunday. While Lynch didn’t stand for the anthem, members of Oakland’s staff surrounded him as if they were trying to block cameras from seeing him.

Check it out:

It appears as if the Raiders didn’t want cameras to catch Lynch sitting down, something he claims he’s done for years. Lynch was the only player sitting during the anthem and no photo opportunities were allowed. Lynch wore an anti-Trump shirt before the game.

Maybe the league is feeling financial pressure to halt anthem protests, since this on Sunday far fewer players knelt in protest than last week. Apparently the owners aren’t fans of the protest and that makes sense, since anything that could possibly hurt the bottom line is a major issue for them. This piece by ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham illustrates that point.

It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out over the next week.