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Bills' Hughes upset with Jim Kelly criticizing team protest

Tom Szczerbowski / Getty Images Sport / Getty

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) Buffalo Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes is upset with Jim Kelly, accusing the Hall of Fame quarterback of attempting to divide the team by publicly criticizing LeSean McCoy for how he protested during the national anthem on Sunday.

Hughes says Kelly should have approached the team with his concerns and shouldn't have been standing alongside the Bills on the field during the anthem if he had issues with the protest.

Hughes called Kelly's actions ''not cool,'' and ''very unacceptable.''

Kelly told Buffalo's WGRF-Radio on Monday that he lost respect for McCoy for how the running back spent part of the anthem sitting on the field and stretching before the Bills home game against Denver.

Kelly also posted a note on his Instagram account saying the only time he will ever kneel is to pray.

McCoy took his place at the far end of a line of Bills players and coaches, who stood about 10 yards on the field as the anthem began. Kelly was at the opposite end of the line, and stood for the anthem while holding up a Bills cap in his left hand.

Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams said later Monday that Kelly and McCoy have already spoken.

A message left with Kelly's publicist was not returned.

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