Lions’ Akeem Spence Says His Protest Cost His Father a Job

“Got some awful news from my father a contractor deny giving him a job on doing a house because of my peaceful protest,” Spence wrote on Twitter.

Lions defensive tackle Akeem Spence says his decision to take a knee during the national anthem on Sunday led a contractor to deny his father a job. 

Spence, a fifth-year pro, joined with seven of his Detroit teammates in taking a knee before last week’s game against the Falcons. On Thursday he said that his father Floyd, a concrete contractor in the Florida panhandle, was passed over for a job opportunity due to his son’s actions. 

Spence explained this week to the Detroit Free Press that “it’s no disrespect to the American flag.”

“It’s no offense to nobody, no disrespect, just like I always tell people, love one another and we’ll be all right,” Spence added.