There were questions regarding whether or not newly acquired Dallas Cowboys’ defensive end Michael Bennett would be standing for the National Anthem. After much speculation, Bennett caved in and fell in line with his new team.
Bennett made his Dallas Cowboys debut on Monday night in the team’s win over the New York Giants. The defensive end stood for the anthem on the sideline with his teammates before the game:
Michael Bennett standing with his Cowboys teammates during the national anthem. Bennett had stayed in the locker room during the anthem while in New England pic.twitter.com/oiGD7XsFSU
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) November 5, 2019
During his time with the Patriots, Bennett had remained in the locker room during the anthem to avoid the entire matter. It seems that Jones and Bennett reached an agreement prior to the Cowboys acquiring the defensive lineman from New England in a trade.
There was scuttlebutt that part of the reason Bennett might stand would be the fact Dallas tore up the final year of his contract after trading for him, making him an unrestricted free agent.
There was the time last year, coincidentally on Monday Night Football against the Arizona Cardinals, where the entire team kneeled together before the Anthem played.
The team acquired Bennett, 33, from New England in a trade earlier this month, and a Cowboys’ source said last week that prior to the deal’s completion, the Cowboys and Bennett reached an understanding that he would stand on the sideline for the anthem before each game.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones discussed Bennett and the anthem controversy last week during a morning KRLD-FM interview, the paper said.
“I’m satisfied that, in Michael, we’ve got a player who knows how we do it here with the Cowboys,” Jones told the station, according to the Morning News.
Bennett didn’t say much after the Cowboys 37-18 win on Monday night, but it’s clear, his days of taking a knee during the National Anthem are over. For now.
