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Mike Evans Protests Trump: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Wide Receiver Refuses To Stand For National Anthem To Protest President-Elect Donald Trump

By Jason Fletcher
Published on: 13:39 PST, Nov 13, 2016

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans thought it was a joke when former Celebrity Apprentice boss Donald Trump announced that he was running for president. Now he says the joke continues as Trump won the presidential election on Tuesday evening and will become the 45th president of the United States, according to ESPN.

“I’m not big on politics or anything like that, but I told myself, ‘If this happens, America is not right right now,'” Evans said on Trump being elected.

“I said this a long time ago — when he ran, I thought it was a joke. The joke continues.”

All of this after Evans refused to stand for the national anthem prior to the Buccaneers’ 36-10 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday. When asked why he didn’t stand, Mike said it was to protest Donald’s election as the next president.

“It’s not about the Republican party or the Democratic party or anything like that. It’s just who he is. It’s well-documented what he’s done. I’m not gonna stand for something I don’t believe in. That’s the end of that.”

As reported by the Inquisitr back in September, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem as a form protest against police brutality and, in his opinion, a country that has been oppressing people of color. Kaepernick said he won’t stand for the anthem until he is happy with the progress made on those matters.

Mike Evans made sure to point out that his protest had nothing to do with Kaepernick’s.

“I know Kaepernick did that,” Evans said.

“I’m doing it for a different reason, for how a reality star can be the president. That’s not a good look…. I’m not a political person, but I have common sense and I know something is not right.”

Sunday was the Buccaneers’ annual “Salute To Service” game which led to some boos from the crowd, but for the most part, Evans’ protest went unnoticed. Still, Mike made sure to point out that he loves the troops and means no harm towards them.

“I don’t want to disrespect the veterans or anything,” Evans said.

“The men and women that served this country — I’m forever indebted to them. But the things that have been going on in America lately, I’m not gonna stand for that.”

Mike Evans was then asked by the media how long he planned on using the national anthem as a protest and it doesn’t sound like it’s going to end anytime soon.

“When [actor] Ashton Kutcher comes out and says, ‘We’ve been Punk’d,’ I’ll stand again, but I won’t stand anymore.”

Evans’ protest was the only one of its kind in the NFL on Sunday, but protests against Donald Trump being elected president have been ongoing in major cities across the country ever since Trump shocked the world and beat out career politician Hillary Clinton. People have continued to protest in cities like New York, Washington DC, Portland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles over the last five days.

Mike said that he doesn’t ask for or expect any support from his teammates, but fellow wide receiver Cecil Shorts said he backs Evans’ decision.

“I respect his decision. [It] takes a lot to make that move. And I support him fully,” said Shorts, who signed with the team in September.

“That’s my teammate, my new brother. I got his back.”

[Featured Image by Christian Petersen/Getty Images]

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