Four days before their preseason home opener against the Cleveland Browns, which had 12 players not stand for the national anthem prior to their last game, the Bucs used their team meeting to discuss social issues that might have led to that demonstration, coach Dirk Koetter said.
Bucs receiver Mike Evans sat for the anthem in Week 11 last season to protest the election of President Donald Trump, but he received a lot of negative feedback and his protest lasted one game.
Evans said last week he supports Seattle and former Bucs defensive end Michael Bennett, who has decided to sit during the national anthem to protest racial injustice.