FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Atlanta Falcons defensive end Adrian Clayborn expressed support for good friend and former teammate Michael Bennett after the Seattle Seahawks star took a stand against racism and hate crimes by sitting during the national anthem last weekend.
"I support Mike 100 percent," Clayborn told ESPN. "I feel like what he's doing is very important. Some people don't want to talk about it, but he's a vocal guy. He's great in the community. What he's doing is important, and it's right. People that don't agree with it probably need to check themselves. What he's standing for is everything that's right in the world."
Clayborn, a former first-round pick of Tampa Bay, played two seasons with Bennett along the Buccaneers' defensive line. Bennett chose to sit with a towel over his head as the anthem was sung before the Seahawks-Los Angeles Chargers exhibition game on Sunday. His decision came after the violence that stemmed from white supremacist rallies in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Clayborn said he has no intentions to sit during the anthem, and it's highly unlikely any of his teammates will, either. Falcons coach Dan Quinn said any individual player is free to express a desire to protest in that manner, but such a decision would be made collectively by the team. No Falcon has expressed those intentions thus far.
Clayborn won't criticize anyone for deciding to sit during the anthem. Such demonstrations became a subject of debate when former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick staged a season-long protest last year against racial injustice.
"I think it's getting people to talk," Clayborn said, referring specifically to Bennett's decision.
"I think back to all the other protests, and all the civil rights. It probably wasn't smart for those guys to sit on those countertops and sit in those restaurants, but they did it. And look where we are now," Clayborn said, referring to sit-in protests at segregated lunch counters in the South in 1960.
"What Michael is doing is important. Some people might not like it. They might try to flip it and say it's disrespecting the military, but he's not. He's said that a million times. Let's get the conversation on what he's talking about and what he means."
The racial tension in America sickens Clayborn, who said he was highly upset over the events in Charlottesville.
"It bothers me," Clayborn said. "It bothers me a lot. It bothers me right now just talking about it. But that's the world it is today. I just hope we can somehow move forward. It's sad.
"I think this world needs a reality check and needs to get back helping each other and not being so angry toward each other. I know that's the way the world is. I just hope for better times."
Clayborn said it's comforting to know the Falcons stand by their "brotherhood" motto and don't tolerate exclusion.
"It's pretty cool, man," Clayborn said. "I wish the whole world was like the locker room. We're black. We're white. We're from the rural parts of this country. We're from the inner city. And we all come together for one common goal. If everybody was like that, this world would be a much better place."
Bennett is expected to continue his anthem protest Friday night when the Seahawks host the Minnesota Vikings.