Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has changed his stance on kneeling for the national anthem.
Ross, 77, received a lifetime achievement award from the Jackie Robinson Foundation but told the New York Daily News afterward that he changed his opinion on civil pre-game protests such as kneeling during the national anthem.
Ross said the debate became focused more on "support of our country or the military" and the gesture began by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick was lost in the blowback from some fans, NFL sponsors and US President Donald Trump.
"When that message changed, and everybody was interpreting it as that was the reason, then I was against kneeling," Ross told The Daily News.
"I like Donald (Trump). I don't support everything that he says. Overall, I think he was trying to make a point, and his message became what kneeling was all about. From that standpoint, that is the way the public is interpreting it. So I think that's really incumbent upon us to adopt that. That's how, I think, the country now is interpreting the kneeling issue."
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, after orchestrating a team-wide demonstration by kneeling in unison before Monday Night Football at Arizona last season, took a similar approach, publicly stating his team would be standing for the anthem.
Kaepernick and others voiced their reason for protest being unrelated to patriotism. He maintains kneeling was a way to bring recognition and attention to his concern over police brutality and racial inequality.
Dolphins wide receiver Kenny Stills was one of several NFL players who eventually chose to kneel during the pre-game playing of the national anthem.
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