Eagles’ Jeffrey Lurie releases statement in response to Donald Trump comments

Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie released a statement on Saturday evening following comments made by President Donald Trump. Trump recently called for NFL owners to fire players who protest during the national anthem.

Here’s Lurie’s statement:

The best of us lend our compassion and determination to the aid of others.

Every day I see the genuine dedication and hard work of our players. And I support them as they take their courage, character, and commitment into our communities to make them better or to call attention to injustice. Having spoken with our players, I can attest to the great respect they have for our national anthem and all it represents. We at the Philadelphia Eagles firmly believe that in this difficult time of division and conflict, it is more important than ever for football to be a great unifier.

The Eagles have several players who demonstrate during the national anthem, including starting safety and team captain Malcolm Jenkins.

Lurie has shown support for Jenkins and his cause. I think it’s safe to say the Eagles owner won’t be firing him any time soon.

The Eagles are hardly the only professional sports franchise to respond to the comments made by Trump. A number of teams and notable athletes, including LeBron James, have spoken out against Trump’s message.

Former Eagles running back LeSean McCoy was among the players who weighed in.