Adrian Peterson: 'Without a Doubt' Planning to Kneel During National Anthem

Washington running back Adrian Peterson said he plans on taking a knee during the national anthem next season, and he expects other players to join.

In the wake of George Floyd's killing at the hands of the Minneapolis police department and the subsequent worldwide protests, expect the list of NFL players taking a knee during the national anthem to grow next season.

That's what Washington running back Adrian Peterson said on Friday, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.

In discussing Saints quarterback Drew Brees' comments on kneeling during the national anthem, Peterson said "without a doubt" he would take a knee during the anthem, and he expects several other players to join him.

"Just four years ago, you're seeing Kaepernick taking a knee, and now we're all getting ready to take a knee together going into this season, without a doubt," Peterson said.

Peterson shared his reaction to Brees' remarks and said he'd wished the Saints quarterback would have considered the issue of protesting by kneeling during the anthem a bit more carefully.

"I know Drew Brees. He's not a racist at all, and I have a lot of love for him, but I think this was a situation where he should have thought things out more and tried to look at things in a different view," Peterson said. "He made a comment about what he thinks about his grandfather and his great-grandfather going to war. My parents had great-grandparents that went to war as well, but when they came back, they still weren't able to vote. We just didn't have the same rights. When you look at it from that point of view, we understand where you're coming from, but we don’t understand where you're coming from as well for those reasons.

"We still don't have equality in the United States. Our people fought as well and played a big role in the victory. I love Drew. I have nothing but respect for him, but I think he should have thought about it a little longer."

In an interview with Yahoo Finance on Wednesday, Brees said that he would "never agree with anyone disrespecting" the United States flag. He apologized for his remarks on Thursday, saying, "it breaks my heart to know the pain I have caused."

On Friday, President Donald Trump said he supports Brees' original stance on kneeling for the anthem, and that Brees should not have apologized.

"There are other things you can protest, but not our Great American Flag-NO KNEELING!" Trump tweeted.