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. 

Got some awful news from my father a contractor deny giving him a job on doing a house because of my peaceful protest #smh

— Akeem Spence (@AkeemSpence) September 28, 2017

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.