Franchise legend Jim Kelly expressed his disappointment in Buffalo Bills star LeSean McCoy's actions during the national anthem Sunday, and also let it be known he didn't wish to see any Bills player take a knee.
Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes responded in kind Tuesday.
A large group of Bills kneeled during the anthem. Hughes wasn't one of them, and not only did he stand for the anthem, he stood up for his teammates who chose to protest.
"I was very disappointed in (Kelly)," Hughes said, ESPN's Mike Rodak reports. "I was very disappointed in how he approached the whole situation.
"Our team came together and we united as a front, as an organization on how we were going to approach the national anthem. If Jim was going to do what he did, then he should have came to the team and let us know his feelings."
Kelly criticized protesters on Instagram before critiquing McCoy in a radio interview Monday.
"So for him to carry on in this manner, I'm really confused and I'm really upset, because if this is something how he felt and if this was something that truly was how he felt and was on his heart, he should have came to the team and he should have approached that instead of making this a public matter, and doing that on his social page," Hughes said. "It was not cool, very unacceptable, and if he has things to say about us as a team, come talk to us."
Kelly was on the sidelines Sunday and head coach Sean McDermott said the Hall of Fame quarterback will continue to be welcomed at games.
