Just before the national anthem at M&T Bank Stadium on Oct. 1, the stadium public address announcer invited the crowd to join the Ravens in a short prayer for unity, and with that the Ravens players collectively took a knee on the sideline.
As they did so, boos rained down, the anger still clearly palpable among some fans after players around the league took a knee before the national anthem last week to protest racial inequality and specifically comments made by President Donald Trump that any NFL player who kneels for the anthem should be fired.
But once the moment of silence for prayer ended, all players from the Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers were on their feet when the national anthem was sung.
