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Seahawks DE Bennett plans to sit for anthem

CARSON, Calif. — Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett plans to sit during the national anthem this season to protest social injustice — and expects a backlash over an issue that is “bigger than a sport.”

He sat on the visiting bench during “The Star-Spangled Banner” before a preseason opener against the Los Angeles Chargers, a decision he made before weekend protests by white supremacists at the University of Virginia.

The violence in Charlottesville, Va., including the death of a young woman struck by a car deliberately driven into a group of counter-protesters Saturday, solidified Bennett’s decision.

“With everything that’s been going on the last couple of months and especially after the last couple of days, seeing everything in Virginia, seeing what’s going on out there earlier today in Seattle, I just wanted to be able to use my platform to be able to continue to speak over injustice,” Bennett said.

“First of all, I want people to understand I love the military. My father was in the military. I love hot dogs like any other American. I love football like any other American, but I don’t love segregation. I don’t love riots. I don’t love oppression. I don’t love gender slander. I just want to see people have the equality that they deserve.”

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