NFL teams stood shoulder to shoulder Sunday - some players standing with arms linked, some kneeling - in a coast-to-coast expression of solidarity reacting to what players, owners and league officials described as inaccurate, divisive and unwarranted comments by President Donald Trump.

Two days after Trump said he would like to see an NFL owner say "Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, he's fired" to a player who did not display what Trump considered proper respect to the national anthem, silent protests mushroomed during anthem performances across the league.

In Foxborough, Mass., at least a dozen members of the New England Patriots knelt on the sidelines during the anthem performance, and booing from fans could be heard in the background.

The Texans to a man stood with arms linked, most looking straight ahead, a few with heads briefly bowed.

"We're a team," defensive end J.J. Watt said after the game - a 36-33 Texans loss. "We care about each other, and we all stand together."

Safety Eddie Pleasant said the Texans "just wanted everyone to be together."

"We all know what's going on," Pleasant said. "It's just something we all agreed upon. We all have our different beliefs. I'm pretty sure you know what that means. We all came together as one."

Nose tackle D.J. Reader and cornerback Johnathan Joseph were among the more outspoken Texans to address the matter, again speaking out for a unified front while noting the divisive issues of the day.

"There's a lot of things going on in this country. There's a lot of unfair things going on in our country," Reader said. "It was good that our team came together to show support. Sometimes it's tough to deal with, especially being African-American."

Joseph said that Trump's comments about firing NFL players was "just him showing off and abusing his power."

"We all have our rights," Joseph said. "We want to use our platform to bring certain things to light. There's no disrespect meant to the flag. We just want to raise awareness."

Speaking to reporters Sunday afternoon in New Jersey before boarding Air Force One, Trump said, "It's very disrespectful to our flag and our country, so I certainly think the owners should do something about it."

"I watched a little bit - I was not watching the games today, believe me, I was doing other things - and I will say that there was tremendous solidarity for our flag and country."

Trump also said his original comments had nothing to do with race.

"I never said anything about race … this has to do with respect for our country and our flag," he said.

Elsewhere, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans did not appear on the field during the anthem, and the Associated Press estimated that at least 130 players either knelt or sat on the bench during anthem performances. The NFL said the teams would not be fined for their action.

"We will not stand for the injustice that has plagued people of color in this country," the Seahawks said in a statement. "Out of love for our country and in honor of the sacrifices made in our behalf, we unite to oppose those that would deny our most basic freedoms."

Among the most prominent protesters with Texas connections were former Texas A&M star and Super Bowl MVP Von Miller of the Denver Broncos, who took a knee, and former Aggies player Martellus Bennett of the Green Bay Packers, who sat on the bench.

'It's bigger than me'

Dolphins safety Michael Thomas, an Aldine Nimitz graduate, began kneeling during the anthem in 2016 in the wake of the deaths of unarmed African-American men at the hands of police.

Sunday, Thomas stood and linked arms with teammates. He said he did so to recognize the support of teammates who appreciated his stance but were not comfortable kneeling during the anthem.

Of the president's comments, Thomas said, "As a man, a father, as an African-American man, as someone in the NFL, as one of those son of bitches, yeah I took it personally. But it's bigger than me.

"I've got a daughter, and she's going to have to live in this world. And I'm going to do what I've got to do to make sure she can look at her dad and be like, 'Hey, you did something to try and make a change.' "

Former University of Houston linebacker Elandon Roberts was among the Patriots players who took a knee, and former University of Texas players Kenny Vaccaro and Alex Okafor did the same with the New Orleans Saints. Former A&M receiver Mike Evans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers knelt while placing his hand over his heart. Former A&M kicker Randy Bullock did not join his Bengals teammates in linking arms, standing separately on the sideline with his hand over his heart.

CBS and Fox telecast all anthem performances, which are generally not telecast other than during the Super Bowl. Singer Meghan Linsey and her guitar accompanist in Nashville and singer Rico Lavelle in Detroit took knees at the end of their performances; Lavelle also dropped his head and raised his right fist in the air as his performance concluded.

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By David Barron, Houston Chronicle
September 24, 2017 Updated: September 24, 2017 9:17pm

    7

    Buffalo Bills players take a knee during the playing of the national anthem prior to an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017, in Orchard Park, N.Y. Photo: Jeffrey T. Barnes, AP / FR171450 AP

Photo: Jeffrey T. Barnes, AP
Image 5 of 10
Buffalo Bills players take a knee during the playing of the national anthem prior to an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017, in Orchard Park, N.Y.

NFL teams stood shoulder to shoulder Sunday - some players standing with arms linked, some kneeling - in a coast-to-coast expression of solidarity reacting to what players, owners and league officials described as inaccurate, divisive and unwarranted comments by President Donald Trump.

Two days after Trump said he would like to see an NFL owner say "Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, he's fired" to a player who did not display what Trump considered proper respect to the national anthem, silent protests mushroomed during anthem performances across the league.

In Foxborough, Mass., at least a dozen members of the New England Patriots knelt on the sidelines during the anthem performance, and booing from fans could be heard in the background.

The Texans to a man stood with arms linked, most looking straight ahead, a few with heads briefly bowed.
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"We're a team," defensive end J.J. Watt said after the game - a 36-33 Texans loss. "We care about each other, and we all stand together."

Several players stressed the significance of the Texans' unified response.

"It was huge for us, for this organization, for America," cornerback Kareem Jackson said. "I feel like that's what it should be. Everybody helping one another in a time of need in a volatile situation, that's what it's about."
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Texans

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    PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 24: Jake Elliott #4 of the Philadelphia Eagles is picked up by teammates Najee Goode #52 and Kamu Grugier-Hill #54 after Elliott kicked the game winning field goal with 1 second left in the game against the New York Giants on September 24, 2017 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Elliott kicked the 61 yard field goal to defeat the New York Giants 27-24. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
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Texans line score
Final    1    2    3    4    Tot
Houston    10    10    7    6    33
New England    7    14    7    8    36
Preview | Box | Gameview | Recap
Leader    Houston    New England
Passing    D. Watson 301    T. Brady 378
Rushing    L. Miller 56    M. Gillislee 31
Receiving    D. Hopkins 76    B. Cooks 131
Sports Data API Provided by STATS
© STATS - 2017
Schedule 2017
Week    Date    Opp    Info
1    9/10    vs. Jax    L 29-7
2    9/14    @ Cin    W 13-9
3    9/24    @ NE    L 36-33
4    10/1    vs. Ten    1:00 PM ET
5    10/8    vs. KC    8:30 PM ET
6    10/15    vs. Cle    1:00 PM ET
7    Bye Week
8    10/29    @ Sea    4:05 PM ET
9    11/5    vs. Ind    1:00 PM ET
10    11/12    @ LAR    4:05 PM ET
11    11/19    vs. Ari    1:00 PM ET
12    11/27    @ Bal    8:30 PM ET
13    12/3    @ Ten    1:00 PM ET
14    12/10    vs. SF    1:00 PM ET
15    12/17    @ Jax    1:00 PM ET
16    12/25    vs. Pit    4:30 PM ET
17    12/31    @ Ind    1:00 PM ET
Sports Data API Provided by STATS
© STATS - 2017
AFC South Division
Team    W    L    T    Pct
Tennessee     2    1    0    .667
Jacksonville     2    1    0    .667
Indianapolis     1    2    0    .333
Houston     1    2    0    .333
Full Standings
Sports Data API Provided by STATS
© STATS - 2017
Houston Texans Stats
View All Players  |  Last Updated Sept. 25, 1:33 a.m. ET
Passing
Player    POS    Att    Comp    Yds    Pct    TD
D. Watson    QB    80    49    528    61.3    3
T. Savage    QB    13    7    62    53.8    0

Rushing
Player    POS    Att    Yds    TD    Avg
Lamar Miller    RB    49    182    0    3.71
Deshaun Watson    QB    15    124    1    8.27
D'Onta Foreman    RB    21    69    0    3.29
Tyler Ervin    RB    4    12    0    3.00
Bruce Ellington    WR    1    -1    0    -1.00

Receiving
Player    POS    Rec    Yds    TD    Avg
DeAndre Hopkins    WR    21    204    1    9.71
Tyler Ervin    RB    8    38    0    4.75
Lamar Miller    RB    6    64    0    10.67
Ryan Griffin    TE    5    61    1    12.20
Bruce Ellington    WR    4    59    1    14.75
Sports Data API Provided by STATS
© STATS - 2017

Safety Eddie Pleasant said the Texans "just wanted everyone to be together."

"We all know what's going on," Pleasant said. "It's just something we all agreed upon. We all have our different beliefs. I'm pretty sure you know what that means. We all came together as one."

Nose tackle D.J. Reader and cornerback Johnathan Joseph were among the more outspoken Texans to address the matter, again speaking out for a unified front while noting the divisive issues of the day.

"There's a lot of things going on in this country. There's a lot of unfair things going on in our country," Reader said. "It was good that our team came together to show support. Sometimes it's tough to deal with, especially being African-American."

Joseph said that Trump's comments about firing NFL players was "just him showing off and abusing his power."

"We all have our rights," Joseph said. "We want to use our platform to bring certain things to light. There's no disrespect meant to the flag. We just want to raise awareness."

Speaking to reporters Sunday afternoon in New Jersey before boarding Air Force One, Trump said, "It's very disrespectful to our flag and our country, so I certainly think the owners should do something about it."

"I watched a little bit - I was not watching the games today, believe me, I was doing other things - and I will say that there was tremendous solidarity for our flag and country."

Trump also said his original comments had nothing to do with race.

"I never said anything about race … this has to do with respect for our country and our flag," he said.

Elsewhere, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans did not appear on the field during the anthem, and the Associated Press estimated that at least 130 players either knelt or sat on the bench during anthem performances. The NFL said the teams would not be fined for their action.

"We will not stand for the injustice that has plagued people of color in this country," the Seahawks said in a statement. "Out of love for our country and in honor of the sacrifices made in our behalf, we unite to oppose those that would deny our most basic freedoms."

Among the most prominent protesters with Texas connections were former Texas A&M star and Super Bowl MVP Von Miller of the Denver Broncos, who took a knee, and former Aggies player Martellus Bennett of the Green Bay Packers, who sat on the bench.

'It's bigger than me'

Dolphins safety Michael Thomas, an Aldine Nimitz graduate, began kneeling during the anthem in 2016 in the wake of the deaths of unarmed African-American men at the hands of police.

Sunday, Thomas stood and linked arms with teammates. He said he did so to recognize the support of teammates who appreciated his stance but were not comfortable kneeling during the anthem.

Of the president's comments, Thomas said, "As a man, a father, as an African-American man, as someone in the NFL, as one of those son of bitches, yeah I took it personally. But it's bigger than me.

"I've got a daughter, and she's going to have to live in this world. And I'm going to do what I've got to do to make sure she can look at her dad and be like, 'Hey, you did something to try and make a change.' "

Former University of Houston linebacker Elandon Roberts was among the Patriots players who took a knee, and former University of Texas players Kenny Vaccaro and Alex Okafor did the same with the New Orleans Saints. Former A&M receiver Mike Evans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers knelt while placing his hand over his heart. Former A&M kicker Randy Bullock did not join his Bengals teammates in linking arms, standing separately on the sideline with his hand over his heart.

CBS and Fox telecast all anthem performances, which are generally not telecast other than during the Super Bowl. Singer Meghan Linsey and her guitar accompanist in Nashville and singer Rico Lavelle in Detroit took knees at the end of their performances; Lavelle also dropped his head and raised his right fist in the air as his performance concluded.

Several team owners, including Texans owner Bob McNair, who contributed $1 million to Trump's inaugural committee, issued statements on behalf of their players, criticizing Trump's comments and defending players' rights to self-expression.

McNair's statement noted the traditional unifying impact of football and said that Trump's comments were "divisive and counterproductive to what our country needs right now."

"I hope the reaction from our players results in positive action for our league, our communities and our country as a whole to make a positive difference in our society," McNair said.

He cited players' role in Hurricane Harvey relief efforts and added, "We will continue to support our players to work together to promote the values of respect and unity."

At least three NFL owners - Arthur Blank of the Atlanta Falcons, Jeffrey Lurie of the Philadelphia Eagles and Shahid Khan of the Jacksonville Jaguars - stood arm in arm with players during the anthem.

Most comments by players, owners and others focused on Trump's lack of respect for NFL players who believe they are exercising their right to free speech by using the anthem performance as a forum to express disappointment or disagreement with where the nation stands on societal matters they consider important.

'A slap in the face'

Vince Wilfork, the retired defensive lineman for the Patriots and Texans who hosted a tailgate party in Foxborough before the Houston-New England game, said Trump insulted all players by his comments.

"He's the leader of this country, and to talk to citizens the way he did, no matter what's going on, to talk to us like that, it's unacceptable, hands down. I don't give a damn who he is," Wilfork said. "When you're in the locker room, it's a brotherhood, so to be called what he called us, that's a slap in the face to a lot of people, and I just think it's unacceptable."

The controversy also spilled into other sports. In Minneapolis, site of the WNBA Finals, the Los Angeles Sparks were not present on the court when the anthem was played before the game.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told NBC News that the president should expect to receive criticism from such high-profile players as LeBron James or Stephen Curry.

"If the president's going to say something condemning a person, an industry, a sport, then he's got to be able to take the blowback that's going to come back," Cuban said. "… It's an open door now, and so they have every right for the same reasons to be able to say whatever's on their mind. Now we'll be able to see if he can take it."

As Trump's initial comments circulated Saturday, many in Houston sided with the athletes.

"It's unbecoming to wade into that kind of territory," Jerrett Johnson said at the Rice-Florida International football game. "I appreciate that athletes are standing for what they believe."

Ronald Jackson, 53, of Alief, who was attending a high school football game, called it a "friendly protest."

"It's freedom of speech, and they're not bothering anybody," Jackson said. "It's a friendly protest, what they're doing, and it's what they believe in, so as long as they're not bothering anybody, it's OK. He shouldn't be upset about it and telling the fans that they should leave and boycott and all that kind of stuff."