Martha Ford
Last week, Lions owner Martha Ford, her three daughters and Coach Jim Caldwell linked arms with players during the national anthem against the Atlanta Falcons at Ford Field. Eight players took a knee.
After that game, during a team meeting, Ford asked her team not to kneel for the national anthem and to find a different way to protest social injustices around the country. In exchange, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Ford said she would be willing to donate both money and her name to community issues at the heart of the players' cause.
"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 tells the Freep. He was one of the eight players who took a knee for the Falcons game.
"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 a 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."
On Sunday, Ford was not on the sideline for the anthem Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium at the Minnesota Vikings game. Players linked arms, and only two players, linebackers Steve Longa and Jalen Reeves-Maybin, took a knee.
