(WHDH) — New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick issued a statement Monday afternoon after several of his players took a knee Sunday during the singing of the national anthem at Gillette Stadium.
RELATED: ‘Ashamed to be a Patriot’: Matt Light speaks out following anthem protests
Hundreds of players across the NFL protested after President Donald Trump said any “son of a bitch” who “disrespects our flag” should be fired by their owner.
Tom Brady called Trump’s comments “divisive.” Former offensive lineman Matt Light said he was “ashamed to be a Patriot” after witnessing New England’s sideline display.
RELATED: Patriots’ Brady calls president’s comments “divisive,” talks about pregame show of support
Read Belichick’s statement below:
“I have immense respect and admiration for our players, for how they conduct themselves professionally as New England Patriots and for how they represent themselves, their families and community as men. I have coached football for over four decades and one of the greatest things about being in this environment is the diversity of people, backgrounds, viewpoints and relationships we are fortunate to experience. As with any large group of people, there is a variety of perspectives and opinions on many topics. Discussions occur between myself, individual players, groups and the entire team on an ongoing basis. They concern the team and other issues surrounding the team. I am going to keep the specifics of those conversations private. I will do what I feel is best for the team in my role as head coach and collectively, we will work together to find the best way to proceed.”
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