Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz on Tuesday criticized Fox News for using pictures of him and his teammates praying before the national anthem to illustrate a segment about President Trump’s criticism of anthem protests.
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“This can’t be serious… Praying before games with my teammates, well before the anthem, is being used for your propaganda?! Just sad, I feel like you guys should have to be better than this,” Ertz tweeted.
The segment, which aired following President Trump’s Monday announcement that he was disinviting the team from the White House, featured images of Ertz and other Eagles on one knee while praying.
The montage included images of players raising their fists in the air during the national anthem, as well. However, no Eagles players took a knee during the anthem in the 2017 season.
Fox News apologized later Tuesday morning for the segment.
“During our report about President Trump canceling the Philadelphia Eagles trip to the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl win, we showed unrelated footage of players kneeling in prayer,” Christopher Wallace, executive producer of Fox News @ Night with Shannon Bream, said in a statement.
“To clarify, no members of the team knelt in protest during the national anthem throughout regular or post-season last year,” he added. We apologize for the error.”
Trump disinvited the team after it was reported the Super Bowl champions planned to only send roughly 10 players to the White House.
“The Eagles wanted to send a smaller delegation, but the 1,000 fans planning to attend the event deserve better,” Trump said in a statement.
Trump has frequently criticized NFL players who protested racial injustice and police brutality by taking a knee during “The Star-Spangled Banner” before games last season, calling for them to be fired or otherwise punished.
League owners voted last month to implement a new policy that requires players to stand during the anthem next season, or face a fine. Players also have the option to remain in the locker room.
Even with the new policy, Trump continued to attack those who don’t stand for the anthem, suggesting they don’t belong in the country.
In a tweet late Monday night, Trump said staying in the locker room “is as disrespectful” as kneeling.
Updated at 11:17 a.m.