Raiders owner changes tune after asking players not to protest in uniform

Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis has done a 180 on anthem protests.

Davis admitted he met with star players Derek Carr and Khalil Mack last season and asked that they refrain from conducting any national anthem protest while in uniform.

"I had previously told them that I would prefer that they not protest while in the Raiders uniform. And should they have something to say, once their uniform was off, I might go up there with them," Davis told Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.

However, in light of recent comments from President Donald Trump in which he instructed team owners to "fire" any player that protests, Davis has changed his tune.

"Over the last year, though, the streets have gotten hot and there has been a lot of static in the air and recently, fuel has been added to the fire," he said.

"I can no longer ask our team to not say something while they are in a Raider uniform. The only thing I can ask them to do is do it with class. Do it with pride."

The Raiders visit the Washington Redskins in the Sunday night spotlight, so it remains to be seen how the club will approach "The Star-Spangled Banner."

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