With the NFL and the league's players' union at a standstill regarding its policy on national anthem protests, two Miami Dolphins continued to kneel during the anthem pregame on Thursday.
Receivers Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson, who is entering his first season with the Dolphins, each took a knee on the sideline prior to Miami's preseason opener against Tampa Bay.
Stills, the most visible Dolphin in the growing number of athletes that have used that moment to protest against police brutality and racial inequality, has knelt during the anthem for the majority of the team's games over the past two seasons.
Stills did so initially with support from Dolphins' owner Stephen Ross, who then later stated that he wished his players would stand for the anthem. Stills continued to protest more frequently in the wake of comments made by President Donald Trump accusing players of disrespecting the American flag.
Wilson, whom the Dolphins signed during the offseason, sat for the anthem at least once last year doing so as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs before their Week 5 game against the Houston Texans.
The NFL recently suspended its rule regarding anthem protests until the league and the players' union can come to terms on one.
Until then, any disciplinary measures for such protests are up to each individual team.
Miami Dolphins coach Adam Gase appeared irritated earlier this week when asked by the media if he'd give his players any instructions on that intended to kneel.
"I'm not instructing anybody for anything," Gase said.
The NFL intended to forbid players from kneeling in the spring, saying that those that do could be suspended or fined by their team.
The Dolphins put that rule in writing before the start of training camp, but only as "a placeholder" until a more comprehensive policy was implemented, according to Ross.
The rulebook was leaked to the Associated Press and set off a firestorm that convinced the NFL to suspend the rule and work with the NFLPA to come up with a new one.
