Eagles Linebacker Myke Tavarres Will Sit During the National Anthem on Thursday

Are you over the whole Colin Kapernick National Anthem controversy nonsense? Well TOO BAD because Eagles undrafted free agent linebacker Myke Tavarres has announced his intention to sit the song out at Thursday’s pre-season finale.

Speaking to ESPN, Tavarres laid out his reasoning:

Tavarres said he almost sat during the anthem ceremony preceding Saturday night’s game against the Colts in Indianapolis, and he plans to follow through when the Eagles host the New York Jets in their preseason finale Thursday night.

“Oh, I thought about it. Believe me, I definitely thought about it,” Tavarres said of sitting Saturday night. “And usually I’m front and center on the line with the rest of the guys, and that’s since pre-K all the way up. Saturday’s game, I stepped back, I was in the background, and it didn’t feel right to me at all, and so I will be taking a stand — or sitting down — for the fourth game.”

Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz had an open forum on the topic during a group meeting Monday, according to multiple players. Several people spoke, including Malcolm Jenkins, Leodis McKelvin and Tavarres, one source in attendance said.

“We’ve got an issue in this country in this day and age, and I feel like somebody needs to step up and we all need to step up,” Tavarres said. “We’ve got that right. There’s just a lot going on that people don’t want to talk about, and I feel like us as athletes, we’re looked at as role models. And I feel like with Colin Kaepernick, he’s doing a great job for standing up in what he believes in, and most people may not like that, but that’s his opinion, he’s entitled to it, and I respect him for doing it.”

Tavarres is an undrafted rookie out of Incarnate Word. He made the first round of cuts, as the Eagles recently trimmed their roster to 74 players, and is trying to make the team to contribute mainly on special teams.

He indicated that some people in the building are aware of his plans but said he hasn’t had a conversation with his coaches yet.

“In this situation, I’ve really got nothing to lose,” he said. “I’m a rookie free agent, haven’t signed any major contract, so there’s not a lot of money on the line, I don’t have any big endorsement deals on the line. Really what’s at stake is my pride and what kind of man would I be and what kind of African-American would I be if I didn’t stand my ground on this issue we have today? [It] needs to be done. Will there be backlash? Probably. I don’t think anyone has bought my jersey yet, so I don’t know if it’s going to be burned, but it’s a major issue and I’m definitely going to stand my ground for this one.”

Kaepernick’s situation has shown the dangers of a political protest when you’re an athlete, and he learned the hard way that people will fully protect your right to protest as long as they agree with your feelings on the matter you’re protesting, agree with the way you’ve chosen to protest, like you as a human being, and think you’re an above average football player. Strike one of those and the tide turns.

For all of the complaints about Kaepernick not doing this at the height of his fame, you can’t say the same about Tavarres. He’s got no contract, no guarantee he’ll make any roster, and people who don’t even know of him are turning on him already:

He really has everything to lose and little to gain by expressing himself here. No matter your stance on the whole thing, I think we can all agree: There’s a zero percent chance that guy in the tweet above actually boycotts the Eagles all season.

Kyle: He has one thing to gain– you now know who Myke Tavarres is.