If and when the 2020 NFL season begins this fall, several high-profile players already have said they will take a knee during the national anthem to protest the racial injustices in the country.
The "if" at the beginning of that sentence exists because Dr. Anthony Fauci recently stated "football may not happen this year" due to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially if the NFL doesn't hold the season in a bubble similar to what the NBA has planned.
On Friday, though, President Donald Trump downplayed Fauci's comments while simultaneously speaking out against kneeling during the anthem.
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"Tony Fauci has nothing to do with NFL Football. They are planning a very safe and controlled opening," Trump tweeted. "However, if they don’t stand for our National Anthem and our Great American Flag, I won’t be watching!!!"
Those remarks didn't sit well with Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, who fired back with a tweet of his own.
There's no doubt the 22-year-old is saying what many other players are thinking right about now.
Several of Tatum's Celtics teammates including Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and Enes Kanter already have let their voices be heard during Black Lives Matter protests.
When the NBA season resumes and the NFL season begins, we can expect even more athletes to use their platforms to raise awareness, regardless of how Trump feels about it.