An NFL player lost an endorsement deal Friday because of a national anthem protest.
Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall, a college teammate of Colin Kaepernick, took to a knee during the playing of the national anthem. Kaepernick refused to stand for the anthem during San Francisco’s preseason games, explaining it was to protest racial oppression and police brutality in the United States.
It opened a wide debate and put the microscope on a pregame tradition that has, for decades, been routine.
On Friday, a day after Marshall took a knee during the anthem, the Air Academy Federal Credit Union ended its partnership with the linebacker. The credit union released this statement:
“Although we have enjoyed Brandon Marshall as our spokesperson over the past five months, Air Academy Federal Credit Union (AAFCU) has ended our partnership. AAFCU is a membership-based organization who has proudly served the military community for over 60 years. While we respect Brandon’s right of expression, his actions are not a representation of our organization and membership. We wish Brandon well on his future endeavors.”
