Two National Football League teams on Monday largely steered clear of a controversy over national anthem protests that have ensnared US President Donald Trump and threatened to damage the game's popularity.
The entire Dallas Cowboys team, including owner Jerry Jones, linked arms and knelt on the playing field for a moment before the game, but then stood respectfully as the "Star-Spangled Banner" was performed.
Jones has previously expressed pride that no players on his team had taken to one knee as the anthem was played and said he was disappointed to see such protests.
The Cowboys opponents, Arizona Cardinals, joined arms as a giant flag was unfurled on the field, but did not kneel.
"Prior to the National Anthem, the @DallasCowboys and @AZCardinals shared a moment of unity on the field," the NFL said in a Twitter post that was retweeted by the Cowboys.
Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick stirred a polarising national debate in 2016 after refusing to stand during pre-game renditions of the national anthem to protest police violence against African-Americans.
Kaepernick was not signed by an NFL team this season but several players have made similar gestures.
Trump kicked off his battle with the largest-grossing US professional sports league at a rally on Friday, when he said any protesting player was a "son of a bitch" who should be "fired."
Those remarks were met with criticism from many corners of the sports world.
"The childishness, the gratuitous fear-mongering and race baiting has become so consistent that we almost expect it, the bar has been lowered so far," Gregg Popovich, head coach of the San Antonio Spurs basketball team, told reporters.
The head of the U.S. Olympic Committee spoke out in support of the protesters at NFL games.
"The athletes you see protesting are protesting because they love their country," USOC Chief Executive Scott Blackmun told reporters in Park City, Utah.
"We fully support that our athletes and everybody else to express themselves."
The International Olympic Committee's charter prohibits "demonstrations of political, religious or racial propaganda" at Olympic venues.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh Steelers' Alejandro Villanueva explained that he just wanted to get a glimpse of the American flag when he found himself standing alone as the national anthem played and his teammates remained covered in darkness in a tunnel behind him.
"It's a very embarrassing part on my end," Villanueva, a former Army Ranger who served three tours in Afghanistan, said on Monday.
"When everyone sees images of me standing by myself, everybody thinks the team and the Steelers are not behind me and that is absolutely wrong.
"It's quite the opposite."
Villanueva's teammate, Ben Roethlisberger, said he regretted having missed the anthem.
"I was unable to sleep last night," Roethlisberger said in a statement.
"I personally don't believe the anthem is ever the time to make any type of protest."
Prominent players continued to speak out against Trump.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who has said he considers the president a friend, on Monday said he disagreed with Trump's remarks.
"I thought it was just divisive," Brady told Boston's WEEI radio.
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