Players on teams across the National Football League chose to protest the national anthem on Sunday after President Donald Trump spoke out against those who "disrespect the flag" during a Friday rally in Alabama.
Trump asked the crowd whether they would like to see a team's owner fire a player for disrespecting the flag, and "get that son of a bitch off the field."
Trump followed up his criticism on Twitter the next morning, calling the ability to make "millions of dollars in the NFL" a privilege.
If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL,or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017
...our Great American Flag (or Country) and should stand for the National Anthem. If not, YOU'RE FIRED. Find something else to do!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017
Some of the league's highest paid players were among the ones that decided to protest the country during the national anthem. Here are some of them, along with their average annual salary on their current contract:
Denver Broncos' Von Miller, $19 million
Buffalo Bills' LeSean McCoy, $8 million
New England Patriots' Devin McCourty, $9.5 million, Stephon Gilmore, $13 million
Los Angeles Chargers' Melvin Ingram, $16 million
Buffalo Bills' Marcell Dareus, $16.1 million
Kansas City Chiefs' Justin Houston, $16.8 million
Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce, $9.4 million
Tampa Bay Buccaneers' DeSean Jackson, $11.2 million
Miami Dolphins' Kenny Stills, $8 million
Among high-paid players who protested the anthem not by kneeling but rather by refusing to take the field at all were Russell Wilson ($21.9 million) and Richard Sherman ($14 million) of the Seattle Seahawks as well as Ben Roethlisberger ($21.85 million) and Antonio Brown ($17 million) of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Alejandro Villanueva, an offensive lineman who makes $6 million a year, was the only member of the Steelers who took the field for the national anthem. Villanueva is an Army veteran who served three tours in Afghanistan.
Villanueva has been honored by the United States with the Bronze Star Medal for Valor, the Ranger Tab, the Parachutist Badge, the Bronze Star Medal for overseas service, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, and Expert Infantryman’s Badge, according to the Philadelphia Eagles.