Dontari Poe only Cowboys player to kneel for National Anthem

Before Sunday Night Football, some Rams and Cowboys players demonstrated during the National Anthem

Amid the Black Lives Matter movement, and the effort to highlight racial injustice and police brutality nationwide, NFL players have preached unity in their demonstrations during the National Anthem in Week 1. How they go about trying to inspire change is completely up to them, and rather than compartmentalizing the argument to universal, league-wide activities, the Cowboys and Rams have preached independence.

On the Cowboys, the majority of players stood and locked arms, while Dontari Poe took a knee. 12 Rams players took a knee to demonstrate during the Anthem, while others stood behind their brothers.

Poe was the only Cowboy to kneel, which is well within his right

Jerry Jones’ past is conflicted in terms of his comments on keeling during the anthem. In 2016, as Colin Kaepernick aimed to bring these same issues to light, Jones was vehemently against demonstrating during the Anthem. This season, his views have changed ever so slightly, leaving the door open for his players, rather than pressuring them to side with team executives.

Poe stated this offseason that he wanted Jones to support players who opt to demonstrate during the Anthem. Jones didn’t necessarily go that far, but he’s kept his mouth shut, for the most part, rather than criticizing an opinion he may disagree with.