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A Pennsylvania college football player was kicked off his team after kneeling during the National Anthem two games in a row.
Gyree Durante, a sophomore at Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania, was a backup quarterback on the Division III football team.
A spokeswoman for Albright College told NBC10 in a statement that Durante defied a team-wide decision to kneel during the coin toss and stand during the Anthem before their Oct. 7 game against Delaware University.
“This action, which was supported by the coaching staff, was created as an expression of team unity and out of the mutual respect team members have for one another and the value they place on their differences,” the statement reads. “It was established as a way to find common ground in a world with many differing views.”
“One football player, who unbeknownst to the coach and the team, chose not to support team unity and has been dismissed from the team,” she wrote. “He remains a valued member of the Albright College student body.”
According to the spokeswoman, the players were aware that there would be consequences for anyone who chose not to support the team.
Durante, a Norristown native, is reportedly considering transferring to a different college.
He stands by his decision to kneel during the National Anthem.
“At some point in life, there’s going to be a time when you’ve got to take a stand,” Durante told NBC10. “For me it just happened to be on Saturday afternoon.”
“I was just taught you fight for what you believe in and you don’t bow to anyone,” he said. “I believe heavily in this. So I decided to fight for it.”
The news comes as the nation continues its debate over the National Anthem protests in the NFL.
A new report indicates that the the professional football league is considering requiring all of its players to stand and be present on the field during the National Anthem.
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