Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans apologizes for anti-Trump protest

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver on Tuesday apologized for his decision to sit during the playing of the national anthem on Sunday to protest the election of President-elect Donald Trump.

The protest drew wide condemnation, including from his head coach.

Here is the apology, which was tweeted out by his agent on Tuesday morning:

“I want to start by apologizing to all the U.S. military members, their families, and the fans who I offended by my actions on Sunday. It was never my intention as I have tremendous respect for the men and women who serve our country.

“I have very strong emotions regarding some of the many issues that exist in our society today. I chose to sit as an expression of my frustration towards this year’s election. It was very personal for me, as it was for so many Americans.

“With that being said, I will not sit again during the National Anthem because I want to focus my efforts on finding more effective ways to communicate my message and bring about change by supporting organizations and movements that fight for equal rights for minorities.

“This Sunday, I will be back to standing with my teammates.”

This story was originally published November 15, 2016 at 10:42 AM with the headline "Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans apologizes for anti-Trump protest."