Martha Ford asked Lions not to kneel during anthem

Detroit Lions owner Martha Ford asked the team not to kneel during the national anthem Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, players revealed to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Ford promised to donate money to community issues the players were concerned about in exchange for not kneeling.

"As a team, we came together, talked to Mrs. Ford, the owners, and we understand the issues for the most part, generally," running back Ameer Abdullah said. "Me personally, I definitely want to be an aid in growing the social awareness in this country, that it is a race problem in this country. We do dance around the topic a lot and Mrs. Ford has come forward and said that as long as we compromise as a team and unify and make a unified demonstration, she’ll back us financially. So I’m definitely going to hold her to her word."

Only two players knelt for the anthem Sunday, while the others linked arms. Lions linebackers Steve Longa and Jalen Reeves-Maybin were the ones that did and defensive end Cornelius Washington believe they did so for personal reasons. Longa's father passed away last week after being struck by a car while crossing the street and he kept his head down to pray during the anthem, according to Birkett.

"Those couple guys got some private stuff going on in their lives so that’s more than likely what it was," Washington said.

Washington added that taking action now is more important than kneeling.

"She just asked us not to take the knee and basically told us – not basically, she told us she would back and support financially as well as put her name on whatever issues that we wanted to try to attack," Washington said. "But as far as the kneeling, she just I guess felt like there was better ways to get the point across. And at this point, people know what we’re kneeling for so now trying to take that next step in the plan of action to foster change is, that’s the next part and that’s the part she’s willing to get behind."