Cowboys DE Michael Bennett Stands During National Anthem for First Time Since 2016

Cowboys DE Michael Bennett stood for the national anthem for the first time since 2016 before his new team’s Monday Night Football matchup against the Giants.

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Michael Bennett stood for the national anthem before his new team’s Monday Night Football matchup against the New York Giants.

According to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, that’s the first time that the recently-acquired Bennett has stood for the anthem since 2016 when he was with the Seattle Seahawks.

Bennett sat for the anthem in years prior to protest social inequality. Throughout his time with the Eagles and Patriots, he stayed in the locker room during the anthem.

Bennett and the Cowboys reportedly discussed the issue before he was officially traded from New England to Dallas just a few weeks ago.

He is the second player this season—defensive end Robert Quinn being the other—who no longer protested during the anthem after joining the Cowboys.

Dallas went on to defeat New York, 37-18.