Marshawn Lynch draws support of Raiders teammates, coach Jack Del Rio after anthem protest

NAPA, Calif. — Whether he chooses to sit or stand during future renditions of the national anthem, Marshawn Lynch has the support of his Oakland Raiders teammates and coaches.

On Tuesday, head coach Jack Del Rio told USA TODAY Sports that he encourages his players to “be themselves.”

“We want to have a collection of individuals that come together as a team to play football. We don't need everybody in the organization to think the same way I think, or have the same feelings that I have about different topics,” Del Rio said.

“I mean, we're in America. That's one of the things we have. We have the freedom to be ourselves.”

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Lynch, who joined the Raiders after a one-year retirement in 2016, sat on a cooler near the Oakland bench while The Star-Spangled Banner played before Saturday’s preseason game at Arizona. He declined multiple requests to speak to reporters Tuesday following the Raiders’ first open practice since the game.

Del Rio said Saturday that his new star explained to him that he'd sat during the anthem previously while playing for the Seattle Seahawks. The gesture has taken greater significance in the last year, however, after former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick opted to sit, and later kneel, during the anthem to protest social injustice.

"I'm proud of him," Raiders tight end Jared Cook said of Lynch. "I think it's awesome. Everybody has points of discussion after what happened in Charlottesville just the night before. I think it's important for men in our position to step up and speak on unnecessary situations we find ourselves in as minorities in this country. That's why I'm proud of him."

Lynch did not tell teammates beforehand he planned to sit last weekend, nor has he discussed it at length in the days since, said Raiders linebacker Bruce Irvin, who also played with Lynch in Seattle.

Irvin said he'd “always” support Lynch.

“I've seen Beast Mode (Lynch's nickname) sit down during the national anthem when I was in Seattle. I don't know if he's taking part in a protest or he's just being Beast Mode,” Irvin, who raised a fist during the anthem during several games last season himself, told USA TODAY Sports.

Irvin is undecided if he’ll do any sort of protest this season. He said he had a long conversation with former Seattle teammate Michael Bennett, who sat during the anthem before a game in Los Angeles on Sunday. Bennett told reporters his decision was “bigger than football” as he wanted to use his platform as a prominent NFL player to discuss racial issues and social injustice.

“When you do something like that, you have got to back it up, you've got to know what you're going to say, you've got to give a reason why you're doing it," Irvin said.

"I think (Bennett) did a great job in doing that."

Lynch, who debated with Raiders officials about addressing his own actions Tuesday, may soon do the same. 

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Follow Lindsay H. Jones on Twitter @bylindsayhjones

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