Michael Bennett has sat for the national anthem since the start of the Seattle Seahawks’ preseason in what he’s described as a protest of inequality in America. He did again last Sunday as Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready performed. When McCready finished, he turned around his guitar and held it up to reveal Bennett’s No. 72 in Seahawks colors pasted on the back.
“We talked about it a couple days before,” Bennett told ESPN. “He wanted to do something and that was pretty cool that he decided to do that.”
Bennett was among the players whose names appeared on a recently leaked memo written to the NFL in August seeking, among other things, for the league to dedicate a month to activism awareness.
McCready told ESPN.com: “I respect Michael Bennett and I support him 100 percent. I’m looking forward to our families spending more time together, and figuring out how to collaborate on some of his foundation’s programs for kids.”
Bennett appreciates McCready’s support.
“Even though we’re from two different parts of the world, he’s a musician and I’m a football player, for [him to support me] means a lot,” he said.
Pearl Jam also tweeted that they support Colin Kaepernick.
We support @mosesbread72, @Kaepernick7, and everyone's constitutional right to stand up, sit down or #takeaknee for equality. pic.twitter.com/WDUD216pk2
— Pearl Jam (@PearlJam) September 24, 2017
.@rockhall member and #PearlJam lead guitarist @MikeMcCreadyPJ rocked @centurylink_fld with his rendition of the National Anthem. ??? pic.twitter.com/gYLheKWbrY
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 18, 2017
