On Wednesday, 49ers general manager John Lynch said this when asked about his feelings regarding players not standing for the national anthem.
“We had a great deal the other day where we had four chairs up here, and there was (former 49ers quarterback) Steve Young and (former wide receiver) Jerry Rice,” Lynch told Phil Barber of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. “And they talked about ‘the 49er way.’ And I always thought that’s one of the great things about this league. As a matter of fact, I think it’s a great beacon for the rest of culture, in terms of the way it should be. You strive for a common goal, and you have unity. And I think this game brings people together.
“So I think personally when I see (the protests), I think that’s divisive.
“I understand guys see things and they’re not happy,” he said. “They have that right. And I think we’ll always respect people’s rights. That doesn’t mean I believe that. I believe this game should be celebrated for what it is — I think, a tremendous unifier for our country, and for the way things should be.”
Brian Murphy: Did you have a reaction to that image last night of Chris Long with his arm around Malcolm Jenkins?
John Lynch: I did and I’m glad you brought this up because I’ve had for the last couple days a lot of thought. A lot of waking up in the middle of the night thinking about what I said and how people perceive that and when I saw that picture of Chris Long and Malcolm Jenkins, I think that’s exactly what I was speaking to and what I think is so great about football. I really think it is an example of how our society can be and should be — people coming together. I played for 15 years, I’ve been around the game and it’s one of the things I’m most proud of about the league. That’s what I was trying to articulate.
I want people to know where my heart is. I said the other day ‘I respect,’ I also want them to know I understand. In light of things going on in our world right now, in our country right now. You know I went home for a day last week to see my family and we sat at home and watched that Charlottesville and when you’re talking to your 10-year-old and trying to explain what’s going on, it’s sad, it’s disgusting, it’s unbelievable that these things still exist. So I think I want to go a step further and not only do I respect, but I also understand the motivations of these players that are trying to do something about it, and so I want to be very clear with that. That’s where my heart is. I think people who have been around me know this. I’m new here and I think some things I talked about the other day, what I was trying to say is this game in fact to me is a great example of what can be. As I watched LaDainian Tomlinson’s Hall of Fame speech — LaDainian’s been a guy I competed against, but a great friend — and that’s the message I was…it’s time to unify.
But I also understand the motivation of saying ‘hey, things can be better,’ and that’s what this country’s about. It’s about being the best and you know if we can make things better than I’m all for it, and I want our players to know, I want people around the league to know, that I understand that motivation as well. I’ve always seen, personally, the anthem as exactly that: a unifier. So that’s what it means to me, but I also respect and understand that to other people ‘hey, things can be better,’ I believe things can be better. So when they take that stance I respect and understand it and hopefully that clarifies some of my thoughts.
Murph: That word ‘divisive,’ was that the word that woke you up in the middle of the night?
Lynch: Yeah. I think these days on social media context is kind’ve taken out. But if I could take one thing back I would’ve changed that word because of the negative connotation, but I was really trying to make the point that our game should be a beacon for what our game can be and that’s the only thing, and I have talked and had a lot of thoughtful conversations with people whom I respect in the last couple days and I hope I expressed myself a little better, both on the positive side and what I failed to do the other day.
Listen to the full interview below. For Lynch’s comments on the anthem, skip to 14:30.
