Seahawks, Titans Remain In Locker Room For National Anthem

NASHVILLE, TN — The Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks remained inside the locker room as the national anthem played before the start of their game in Nashville, becoming the second and third teams to do so on Sunday.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were the first team to remain inside the locker room before the start of their game in Chicago. The entirety of the team, with the exception of Al Villanueva who served in the Army, remained indoors for the anthem.

"As a team we have decided we will not participate in the national anthem," the players of the Seahawks said in a statement. "We will not stand for the injustice that has plagued people of color in this country. Out of love for our country and in honor of the sacrifices made on our behalf, we unite to oppose those that would deny our most basic freedoms. We remain committed in continuing to work towards equality and justice for all."

The Titans also issued a statement saying the team wanted to be unified in its actions.

"As a team, we wanted to be unified in our actions today," a statement from the Titans Organization said. "The players jointly decided this was the best course of action. Our commitment to the military and our community is resolute and the absence of our team for the national anthem shouldn't be misconstrued as unpatriotic."

Megan Lindsey, the singer who sang the national anthem at the game in Nashville Sunday, took a knee after she sang. Another singer, Rico LaVelle, did the same the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons game.

SEE ALSO: Titans Owner Says She's 'Proud To Stand With Our Players'

The protests Sunday where a much larger number of players participated than usual are in response to President Donald Trump's attacks on the league that started Friday night and only intensified from there.

"Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag to say get that son of a b***h off the field right now, out, he's fired," Trump said to the crowd at a rally in Huntsville, Alabama on Friday. "He's fired!

The protests began last year when Colin Kaepernick — who then played for the San Francisco 49ers — began kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice. Many players then followed with their own protests. Kaepernick remains unsigned since he left the 49ers.

Photo: Tennessee Titans players walk to the field with arms linked after the national anthem had been played before an NFL football game between the Titans and the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. Neither team stood on the field for the anthem. From left are Delanie Walker (82), Marcus Mariota (8), Wesley Woodyard (59), Jurrell Casey (99) and Brian Orakpo (98). Photo by James Kenney/Associated Press