SANTA CLARA, CA - AUGUST 10: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys drops back to pass against the San Francisco 49ers in a preseason NFL football game at Levi's Stadium on August 10, 2019. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
FRISCO, Texas - Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott wants his team to have individual freedom to protest during the national anthem, but wants his teammates to "love and support one another collectively.”
Prescott begins his fifth season in the NFL, and he has established himself as the on-field leader of the Cowboys.
When he speaks, his teammates listen, and speaking as a leader this year means more than just calling signals on the field.
It means answering questions about major social issues off the field.
Prescott discussed the continuing social unrest following the Kenosha police shooting.
He was asked if the Cowboys players had come up with a plan for expressing themselves during the national anthem.
Prescott answered that different guys will do it in different ways, and he's fine with that.
“It’s about expressing yourself. I wouldn’t say it’s going to be about expressing one idea. That's where we are as a country right now. Individuals have different thoughts, different perceptions and different feelings than their neighbor. So for you to force your opinion and your perceptions on somebody I think isn't very important right now,” he said. “That’s what this country is about, the freedom to do that, the freedom to express yourself.”