Cowboys News: Dak Prescott Defends National Anthem Stance, Discusses Backlash

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is not surprised he is facing backlash over his comments regarding the decision of some NFL players to protest inequality and police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem.

According to Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram, a mural showing Prescott in the "sunken place" from the movie Get Out showed up in Dallas recently.

"Everybody has their own opinion," Prescott said, per Hill. "It is what it is. When I made my statements on the anthem. I knew there would be backlash. No surprises."

Prescott initially said he didn't think NFL games were "the time or the venue" to protest, per Stefan Stevenson of the Star-Telegram, after Todd Archer of ESPN reported team owner Jerry Jones said players on the team will stand for the anthem during the 2018 campaign.

Prescott wasn't the only Cowboys player to back Jones' position on the matter, as running back Ezekiel Elliott also said the team elected to stand as a unit, per Hill.

Dallas' stance drew criticism, as Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Malcolm Jenkins called Jones a "bully" and declared he wouldn't want to play for the team, per Zack Rosenblatt of NJ.com. What's more, former Cowboys wide receiver and Hall of Famer Terrell Owens also said Jones was "being a bully," per Fox Sports Radio.

For his part, Prescott added further context to his initial comment and stressed he respects those who choose to kneel and believes in social justice even though he personally sees the anthem as a time to embrace the country:

"I think there was a little misunderstanding of the fact of what I believe in. I never said I didn't believe in social injustice and things that were going on. I just said I didn't think that the national anthem was the time. It's two minutes out of our day that we could also be spending embracing what our country should be and what our country is going to be one day that we know that it's not right now. That is the sad part about it. That it's not.

"I respect everybody. And power to the people that kneel. That is what they believe in, and they should be able to kneel. For me, the game of football has been such a peace. It's a moment for me to be at peace and think about all the great things our country does have."

With his explanation, Prescott drew more attention to the issue that has dominated headlines for the past two seasons since former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick initially knelt during the anthem.

Prescott knew the criticism would come, and the spotlight is surely to remain on him in the aftermath as the quarterback of one of the league's most prominent teams.

The league and players association released a joint statement this offseason, agreeing to freeze a policy the NFL previously announced in an effort to reach a resolution. The policy would have required players to either stand or remain in the locker room until the anthem ended.