Defensive tackle Dontari Poe said he would kneel during the national anthem. He lived up to the promise.
However, despite owner Jerry Jones’ stance on the issue, he was pleased with the team’s decision to support Poe’s decision.
“I thought our players, I thought they gave it sensitivity. They showed respect to Poe’s decision there. I think they did show sensitivity to our fans as a team. . . . All in all, I thought our team was very real, very genuine in the way it approached it,” said Jones on 105.3 The Fan.
Before Week 1, Poe had talked to management about his feelings.
“We had a team meeting where he kind of expressed a couple of feelings and he always told us that he has an open for us to talk to him at any time,” Poe said, via ESPN’s Todd Archer in late August. “So I look forward to taking advantage of that and just being able to understand how he’s feeling about it.”
Earlier in the week, Jones made statements that showed he has been shifting towards everyone’s opinion on the issue.
“We all do understand where I stand relative to the national anthem and the flag,” Jones said recently on 105.3 The Fan. “On the other hand, I really do recognize our times we’re in. I recognize the ability of the Cowboys to use the visibility and interest we have to support the players. As I’ve said earlier, we’ll come down in a way that gives us a chance to move the ball forward. Move the ball positively forward.”
Poe will likely continue to kneel during games. The larger question is who will now join him?