NFL

Jaguars organization apologized for London protest

Dan Scanlan
Jacksonville Jaguars team owner Shad Khan (center) and head coach Doug Marrone stand united arm-in-arm with players Brandon Linder (65) Marcedes Lewis (89) and Telvin Smith (50) on the sideline during the singing of the American national anthem before kick-off against the Baltimore Ravens in an NFL game Sept. 24 in London. (Rick Wilson/Jacksonville Jaguars)

It was an apology from the Jacksonville Jaguars to the city’s military leaders that appeared almost two weeks after the team’s Sept. 24 act of protest saw players arm-in-arm with owner Shad Khan as the national anthem played during their London game.

While city officials haven’t commented on the apology or its release to the media 11 days after team president Mark Lamping sent it to Bill Spann, director of Jacksonville’s Military Affairs and Veterans, it isn’t being readily accepted by some military veterans. Others say the political controversy has muddied the original reason for the players’ protests, that of racial inequality.

Lamping and Tom Coughlin, the team’s operations head, met Oct. 5 with Spann in Khan’s office with active and retired military leaders to hear reaction about the protest, according to team officials. Lamping’s letter the next day was a follow-up to that meeting and not an apology to fans, team officials said. The letter came to light late Monday when Spann sent it in an email to Mayor Lenny Curry. Efforts to reach Spann for comment were unsuccessful Tuesday.

The Jaguars’ protest was similar to what other NFL players did at games across the country, standing or kneeling instead of the more traditional hand over heart during the anthem in a stance against police brutality to blacks. President Donald Trump had called for players to be fired for such disrespect, and many fans are pushing for a boycott of future games.

Thanking local military groups for making Jacksonville “much more than a football town,” Lamping’s letter apologized for the effect the protest had on many.

“It bears repeating that we were remiss in not fully comprehending the effect of the national anthem demonstration occurring on foreign soil has had on the men and women who have or continue to serve our country,” Lamping wrote. “Similarly, we today can better appreciate how standing for God Save The Queen may have been viewed negatively by our armed forces here in Jacksonville and beyond. As covered during our conversation on Thursday, this was an oversight and certainly not intended to send a message that would disparage you, our flag or our nation.”

Vietnam War veteran Bob Linde, 74, of Arlington said he and friends were very hurt when they saw the Jaguars’ protest in London a few weeks ago. The Marine Corps veteran, who has lived in Jacksonville for 22 years, said he couldn’t believe the team members “had the nerve to do this to us” and wonders about Lamping’s apology.

“It is in response to the empty seats and has nothing to do with the sympathy of the city or for its veterans,” Linde said minutes after learning about the apology letter. “It was sickening. I am not the only vet who feels this way. We all felt the same way. We just turned off the NFL. … It really hurt the veterans to see them overseas, projecting supposedly an image of Jacksonville. And what we projected was an image that we really don’t care for Jacksonville. That hurt.”

“Too little, too late” is Bob Adelhelm’s reaction. The head of Vets4Vets, which connects veterans organizations and those who support them in Northeast Florida, said the protest in London was a “disgraceful act” and the majority of the veterans community he deals with are upset.

“It was just a way to stop the bleeding and it’s all about the money,” Adelhelm said. “Why are the Jaguars apologizing to him (Spann)? And why does he represent the veterans? He’s a bureaucrat appointed by the mayor. If the Jaguars are going to apologize, they need to do it to the veterans at large, the Gold Star families and police officers. Khan needs to stand there with a players representative and apologize.”

Lamping wrote that they understood afterward how the protest could be viewed or misinterpreted.

“We owe you an apology and hope you will accept it. In times of social and societal unrest there is often talk about the importance of advancing the conversation to understand and ultimately solve whatever challenges or differences may exist,” Lamping wrote. “Actually having those conversations, at least in a meaningful fashion, is sometimes difficult. We cannot thank you enough for engaging with us in a discussion intended to chart a path for our continued and successful partnership — and friendship — here in Jacksonville.”

Lost in the controversy over the NFL players’ actions during the national anthem is why some of them took a knee in the first place, said Juan Gray, local board chairman for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. It was San Francisco 49ers player Colin Kaepernick who first went down on a knee during the anthem before a 2016 preseason game to protest treatment of black Americans, particularly by police. Now the protest is being seen by some as disrespecting the flag.

“It has nothing to do with the flag,” said Gray, a 20-year military veteran. “Let’s go back to the original intention and not have the president spin it away. … I walked on the battle field at Desert Storm and served to evaluate how we fought there. I am absolutely amazed and ashamed of how the president hijacked something that has nothing to do with flags and soldiers.”

While Spann didn’t comment, Bob Buehn, Greater Jacksonville USO board chairman and a retired Navy captain, said the the team’s apology seems sincere. He said he doesn’t know what else they can do to make amends.

“I didn’t like what we saw (on Sept. 24). But I take this letter on its face value and think it is sincere,” Buehn said. “I believe they didn’t understand what the impact would be, especially on military people like myself. I think they have gone the extra mile on this. … And as a military person, I am ready to move on and ‘Go Jags!”

In closing, Lamping’s letter said the team is there “at all times to work with you, and for you,” toward a Jacksonville community that is united on all fronts. He thanked the local military leaders for being its partner now and in the future, saying his words were echoed by Khan and Coughlin.

NFL owners met this week in New York, where the national anthem was a key topic of discussion, according to The Associated Press. As part of that, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell met with a roster of current and past players as well as owners, Khan’s name among them. The league and players association issued a short statement Tuesday afternoon about working together “to promote positive social change and address inequality in our communities. This followed a memo obtained by the AP where Goodell told team owners that the controversy over the national anthem is causing a division between fans and the league, and they must move past that.

Dan Scanlan: (904) 359-4549