The anthem protests have always been about race. Period.

Even now, every wave of red-blooded American backlash seems to drag the message back to where it began. Rarely does a player or sports figure speak in support of the protests without reiterating their essential American-ness.

“I understand why people are offended by people protesting the National Anthem,” Eagles wide receiver Torrey Smith told ESPN.

“My father served 25 years. When he dies, he’s going to be wrapped in an American flag. But my dad is also out of the Army, and he drives trucks all over the country, and he’s a black man everywhere he goes, and sometimes he has racial incidents still today. That doesn’t protect him, just because he served our country. And I think that’s important.”