Dak Prescott Is Still Standing By His National Anthem Comments

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has come under fire for criticizing NFL players who have protested during the national anthem, but the backlash hasn't prompted Prescott to back off his stance. Sunday, Prescott stood by his initial statement, which claimed his comments were "misunderstood."

"As I said, I made my statement," Prescott said, according to the Star-Telegram. "I stand by what I said. I just said some people may have misunderstood it or whatever. I feel strongly about what I said. And it is what it is."

The QB added that he "knew there would be backlash."

One example of the backlash: one artist created a mural depicting Prescott as being in the "sunken place," a reference to Get Out.

"Honestly, I know he's a superstar, but I'm not scared of Dak Prescott," the artist, Trey Wilder, said Saturday, per the Star-Telegram. "But like in the movie, maybe [the piece] will be a flash for him. I think, with that platform, it was just weird how he dismissed the whole situation, especially being a black man himself."

Prescott's original comments, which ignited this controversy, came after the Cowboys made it clear they expected their players to stand out on the field for the anthem.

"I never protest during the anthem, and I don't think that’s the time or the venue to do so," Prescott said. "The game of football has always brought me such peace, and I think it does the same for a lot of people—a lot of people playing the game, a lot of people watching the game, a lot of people who have any impact of the game—so when you bring such controversy to the stadium, to the field, to the game, it takes away. It takes away from that, it takes away from the joy and the love that football brings a lot of people."