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Former Oakland Raider Tim Brown Slams Marshawn Lynch’s National Anthem Protest

Posted byBy Kiersten Willis | Published on: CommentsComments (0)

Oakland Raiders legend Tim Brown is wondering why Marshawn Lynch has decided to sit for the national anthem and therefore, in his words, “bring negativity” to the sport.

“Why man? Why bring this to yourself?” Brown tells TMZ Sports Tuesday, Aug. 15. “He has the perfect thing going on in Oakland. Why bring negativity to this incredible [and] positive situation? … I just don’t get it. I understand these guys, they’re trying to make statements and they’re trying to be a part of this world. But football is where people go to get away from all that stuff.”

Lynch, a running back for the Raiders, has been sitting down during “The Star-Spangled Banner” for 11 years as a Seattle Seahawk and resumed the tradition at his first game as a Raider Saturday, Aug. 12. His demonstration came well before free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick began sitting and then kneeling during America’s hymn.

Brown was hesitant to explicitly say if Lynch’s protest was a distraction, but readily admitted the RB has a choice to make regarding his demonstration.

“Outside of the stadium, he can do what he wants to do,” Brown says. “And I know the Raider organization well enough to know they would help him any way they possibly could outside of the stadium.”

Brown added he hopes Lynch stands as the anthem is sung before the team takes on the Los Angeles Rams Saturday, Aug. 19.

“I hope this is a preseason thing [and] he’s not suiting up or whatever. I just hope he’s just ignoring it from that standpoint. I just would hate to see this season be marred with people protesting him and all that kind of stuff.”

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