![Broncos player takes a knee during national anthem - and loses endorsement over it](https://www.theblaze.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=18903984&width=980&quality=85)
Linebacker Von Miller (58) of the Denver Broncos lost an endorsement after taking a knee during the national anthem Sunday. (Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Denver Broncos star linebacker Von Miller took a knee during the national anthem Sunday, and lost an endorsement over it on Monday.
Before the game with the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Von Miller took a knee with several other players to protest the comments from President Donald Trump deriding demonstrations during the national anthem.
According to The Gazette in Colorado Springs, Miller lost an endorsement from Phil Long Dealerships, who has asked TV stations to stop airing ads including the star linebacker.
Miller focused on Trump's controversial comments when explaining why he protested after the game.
"Me and my teammates, we felt like it was," he said, "President Trump's speech was an assault on our most cherished right of freedom of speech, and collectively, we had to do something for this game.
"It's not any other game, it's not the past, not the future," he continued. "At this moment in time, we felt like as a team we had to do something, we couldn't just, y'know, let things go.
"I have a huge respect for the military," he explained, "and our protective services and everything, y'know I've been to Afghanistan, you know I've met real life superheroes. It wasn't any disrespect to them. It was for my brothers that have been attacked for things that they do during the game."
Von Miller said Trump's comments were an attack on the NFL and "an assault on our most cherished right, freedom of speech." pic.twitter.com/RVtAuo5h7s
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) September 24, 2017
Trump's controversial criticism and the response from dozens of NFL players for week three of the season has seized control of the news headlines. Many fans are registering outrage at the support some teams have shown for the player protests.