Photo Credit: Facebook

Let me be the first to make very clear that I have been against, am against and will continue to be against the NFL national anthem protests.

But I am not opposed to players celebrating in a locker room just because someone photoshopped the original photograph of the celebration into a hateful and divisive photo.

Here are few ways to tell that the image with Michael Bennett of the Seattle Seahawks holding a burning American flag with his team cheering him on his photoshopped.

1. In the photoshopped image, Bennett’s fingers are cut off. First off, these are the Seahawks, not the New York Giants. If this were Jason Pierre-Paul, we might be onto something…until point #2. However, we’re not, so let’s just get onto #2.
2. Who burns an American flag indoors to begin with, much less in an NFL locker room in an NFL stadium? Short answer: nobody.
3. The Seahawks’ most recent win came in Week 2 before President Donald Trump made his comments that sparked more NFL players than ever to participate in national anthem protests.
4. Based on point #3, even if every single player on the Seahawks hates Trump, why would they randomly be burning an American flag before he made his comments about the national anthem protesters?
5. Also based on point #3, the Seahawks would have had no reason to celebrate in the lone game they have played so far following Trump’s comments, as they lost 33-27 to the Tennessee Titans.

Here is the original non-photoshopped image.

-Asher Fair