Report: Jim Brown didn't tell Browns not to kneel in meeting with team

More than a dozen Cleveland Browns players knelt during the national anthem in their preseason game against the New York Giants last week, but after meeting with Browns legend and special advisor Jim Brown earlier this week, a large group of players opted to stand on the sideline and lock arms during "The Star-Spangled Banner" on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Brown's been firm in his stance against the national anthem protests, and a report after Saturday's anthem suggested he instructed the team not to kneel.

However, a source informed Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com that Brown didn't tell them not to kneel, and the players said the decision to lock arms was theirs alone.

"Any decisions that we've made have been all on us and obviously, for every guy, you talk to people, family members, teammates, whoever, and you decide what's best for us," cornerback Jason McCourty said.

McCourty added, "I think we're going to continue to talk about it, continue to evolve it, and come up with the best way that we feel that we can make a difference and make an impact, not only with what we do during an anthem, but what we do on Mondays, our off days on Tuesdays in our community, and different things of that nature."

Earlier this week, Brown explained his position to The Post Game.

"I'm going to give you the real deal: I'm an American. I don't desecrate my flag and my national anthem. I'm not gonna do anything against the flag and the national anthem," the Pro Football Hall of Famer said. "I'm going to work within those situations. But this is my country, and I'll work out the problems, but I'll do it in an intelligent manner."