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Baker Mayfield has no regrets about saying he'd kneel for anthem, and has a message for critics

Baker Mayfield isn’t one to back down.

The Cleveland Browns quarterback likes to speak his mind, though usually we hear from him about relatively unimportant things like football.

When he turned his attention to social issues, saying in June he would “absolutely” kneel for the national anthem this season to bring attention to racial injustice, he heard about it.

Mayfield isn’t changing his opinion.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield said he'll kneel during the national anthem this season. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield said he'll kneel during the national anthem this season. (AP Photo/David Richard)

Baker Mayfield: ‘It’s a human rights issue’

Mayfield said he has no regrets about what he said, and in a video conference call with reporters on Friday he doubled down on his commitment to kneel. He said in June that he’d speak out for “equality and everybody being treated the same because we are all human. It's been ignored for too long.”

“It’s wrong. Right and right and wrong is wrong,” Mayfield said. “It’s a human rights issue. It’s been going on for a long time and I believe in that. It’s nothing against the military, anyone who served. Anybody that knows my history knows I completely support the military and people that serve our country for the right reasons and do it for justice.

“The people that don’t know that, that’s OK. Take your time. Take a second to get to know me. It’s a human rights issue.”

The fact that athletes are still having to explain to some people that the demonstrations have nothing to do with the military is maddening, but Mayfield expressed his feelings well. His teammates seem to appreciate it.

Jarvis Landry to Mayfield: ‘Much respect’

Browns receiver Jarvis Landry also met with the media on Friday and said he appreciated Mayfield’s stance.

Mayfield and others will hear about it from an angry section of fans who claim they’ll boycott the NFL if anyone kneels for the anthem. Mayfield doesn’t care, and hopefully the NFL doesn’t this time around either.

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