Stephon Tuitt, the defensive end for the Pittsburgh Steelers football team took to Twitter Monday to announce he would not be kneeling for the American flag and “screw anybody who have a problem with that.”
“Also I’m not kneeling for the flag and screw anybody who have a problem with that,” Tuitt tweeted. “My grandmother was a immigrant from the Carribean and age worked her ass off to bring 20 people over the right way. She had no money and educated herself to be a nurse. She living good now.”
Also I’m not kneeling for the flag and screw anybody who have a problem with that. My grandmother was a immigrant from the Carribean and age worked her ass off to bring 20 people over the right way. She had no money and educated herself to be a nurse. She living good now.
— stephon tuitt (@DOCnation_7) July 27, 2020
Tuitt, 27, went on to reference his grandmother who immigrated to the U.S. from the Caribbean, brought 20 people over “the right way” and worked to support her family as a nurse.
Tuitt’s comments come amid popular support for kneeling during the national anthem as its played during various U.S. sporting events. The kneeling protests were first popularized by San Francisco 49ers player Colin Kaepernick, in opposition to police brutality in America.
The kneeling protests have seen renewed support throughout the National Football League following recent controversial interactions between police officers and Black Americans, including the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody in May. Kneeling protests have also spread to other major sporting leagues, including Major League Baseball.
Mike Ditka, who as head coach lead the Chicago Bears to a victory in Super Bowl XX, recently decried the anthem kneeling protests as well, saying in a recent interview, “If you can’t respect our national anthem, get the hell out of the country.”
