The captain of the Winnipeg Jets speaks out after President Donald Trump leveled more criticism over the weekend at athletes and their right to protest the U.S. national anthem.
In an interview with Global News, Blake Wheeler said this was likely “the last straw for a lot guys” after a number of players across the NFL locked arms or knelt during anthems on Sunday to protest comments made by the American President.
“The rhetoric over and over is just kind of… gone a little bit too far, a few too many times. It just kinda felt right to take a stance.”
“It’s the First Amendment to our Constitution. The First one!!” the 31-year-old tweeted out on Sunday. The Minnesota-born hockey player went on to add, “Regardless of how it makes you feel individually, these are literally the principles the US was founded on. Come on, Mr. President”.
“Even if I don’t necessarily agree with why they do it, it’s their right to feel that way” said Wheeler, and adds he supports the decision to protest the anthem 100 per cent.
In a recent stop in Alabama, Trump said NFL players who choose to kneel in protest during the national anthem should face some sort of penalty for their actions, and doubled down on those statements with a series of tweets, including one that appeared to congratulate players locking arms but condemning those who did not participate.
It’s not just members of the Winnipeg Jets that are speaking out against Trump’s latest comments, as stars with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers – including Maurice Leggett and Chris Randle – shared tweets over the weekend showing support to their NFL brothers to the south.
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