Seahawks' Michael Bennett: White player needs to join protest

Multiple NFL standouts have joined San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in kneeling or raising a fist for the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality, but one player sees a significant step ahead for the movement.

Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett told The Seattle Times on Thursday he believes at least one white player needs to join in the pregame displays for the protests to reach the next level in public discourse.

"You need a white guy to join the fight," Bennett said. "The white guy is super important to the fight. For people to really see social injustices, there must be someone from the other side of the race who recognizes the problem, because a lot of times if just one race says there’s a problem, nobody is realistic about it.”

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Like the rest of the Seahawks players, Bennett has been a vocal supporter of Kaepernick and his cause. Seahawks players locked arms in unity during the national anthem in Week 1, and both cornerback Richard Sherman and wide receiver Doug Baldwin both called for increased accountability this week in the wake of fatal shootings by police.

Though Bennett has not kneeled this season, his brother, New England Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett, is one of the players who has raised a fist after the national anthem.

“If somebody like, say, (Green Bay Packers quarterback) Aaron Rodgers got behind us, I think it would touch home for a lot more people,” Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril told the Times. “At the same time, I see why they probably wouldn’t, because they don’t know what we’re going through. That’s one of those situations where it’s unfortunate.”

The Seahawks host Kaepernick and the 49ers on Sunday.

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