INDIANAPOLIS – On Sunday night, the NBC broadcast showed Dwayne Allen taking his normal knee at the end of the national anthem.
Play-by-play man Al Michaels acknowledged the camera shot of Allen kneeling at the end, before the tight end came to his feet.
"And the only man to take a knee, Dwayne Allen, the tight end for the Indianapolis Colts," Michaels said.
Back after Week One, Allen explained why he kneels at the end of the anthem. But the national exposure of Sunday night's primetime contest brought more attention from people thinking that Allen was kneeling the whole time.
Allen has responded to the criticism he has received and once again clarified why he takes a knee.
"I wanted to take the time to clear up something that was misreported by NBC," Allen said earlier this week. "For every game of my career, I have taken a knee towards the end of our anthem to say a prayer for every man that steps foot on that field. Because of recent events, I have to stand here and explain to you why I'm kneeling on the field. After reviewing some of the comments, over the social media platforms, I realize that sometimes a view will spoil the bunch. But it was a vast majority that were expressing words of hate, not love, not devotion and not pride for our great nation. What I want most is for this world to be a better place for everyone who lives in it. For this country to be a better America for everyone who lives in it. And for those reasons, I'll continue to kneel and I'll continue to pray. I love this country. I love everyone that lives in it. Go Colts."
During Sunday's game, NBC did later explain Allen's kneel down through sideline reporter Michele Tafoya.
*"By the way, we told you earlier that (Allen) took a knee for the national anthem," Tafoya said. "The Colts tell us that's just a prayer he says at the end of the anthem. He's always done that. It's not a protest."
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