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All Cowboys Stood During the National Anthem

For any Cowboys fans in angst about what would happen during the national anthem - you did not have to worry.

NBC DFW staffers at the Giants vs. Cowboys game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington report all of the team stood during the playing of the national anthem.

The game had an extra sense of patriotism as it fell on the 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City, The Pentagon and Pennsylvania.

Former President George W. Bush attended the game and assisted in the coin toss.

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Kansas City cornerback Marcus Peters raised a black-gloved fist during the national anthem before the NFL opener against San Diego, backing up his promise to show support for protests started by Colin Kaepernick.

It was the only such gesture visible throughout the early games Sunday, as the anthems took on more significance because of the 15th anniversary of Sept. 11 attacks. The Seattle Seahawks said last week they planned a demonstration of "unity" when their game against Miami kicks off Sunday afternoon.

Several teams, including the Chiefs, saw their players link arms during the anthem. Peters, the 2015 Defensive Rookie of the Year, was the last person in the Chiefs' line and had his arm free to raise it.

Peters said he was "100 percent behind" Kaepernick, who chose to sit and take a knee during the anthem in preseason games to call attention to what he termed the oppression of blacks and other minorities."He spoke up about something he felt he needed to speak up about," Peters said. "I salute him for that."

Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall , a teammate of Kaepernick's in college at Nevada, took a knee during the anthem on Thursday night.

Peters' gesture was also a tribute of sorts to U.S. sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who won the gold and bronze medals, respectively, in the 200-meter race at the 1968 Olympics. Both then appeared on the medal stands with raised, black-gloved fists throughout the U.S. national anthem in what they called a "human rights salute."

The International Olympic Committee ordered Smith and Carlos expelled from the games because of the protest.

Copyright The Associated Press
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