WASHINGTON — At a series of panel discussions about athletes and activism Thursday afternoon, the conversation eventually turned to players who have protested during the national anthem in recent years.

And retired NFL tight end Martellus Bennett, who was among those who protested in 2017, had plenty to say.

In a discussion hosted by The Atlantic and moderated by former ESPN anchor Jemele Hill, Bennett said the protests would be met with a completely different tone if a prominent white quarterback, such as Tom Brady of the New England Patriots, decided to participate.

The players who have kneeled or otherwise protested during the national anthem to date have been predominantly African-American and position players.

"If (white quarterbacks) were to take a knee with Colin Kaepernick, that conversation would totally change," Bennett said. "If Tom Brady took a knee, white America would be like, 'Oh my God! What is this that Tom Brady's talking about?' They would start doing research and would join in the conversation. It would pique their interest. But since it's a black guy taking a knee, it's like, 'Alright, these guys, here he goes again. It's another one of these guys out there doing this.'"

Dozens of NFL players have taken a knee or otherwise protested during the national anthem over the past three seasons, beginning in 2016 with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who aimed to draw attention to racial inequality and police brutality. Bennett, who spent 10 seasons in the league with five different teams, sat on the bench during one pregame rendition of the national anthem in 2017 and raised his fist after another.

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Some white players have publicly supported the protests. Retired defensive lineman Chris Long, for example, put his arm around then-teammate Malcolm Jenkins as Jenkins raised his fist in protest before a game. Long also has been vocal about the importance of racial inequality, among other social issues. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who played with Bennett in 2017, also spoke out about the issue prior to last season, though he has not participated in any protest.

"Chris Long (joined) the conversation, but he's a defensive end," Bennett said Thursday. "I love Chris Long. Chris Long is my boy. Shoutout to Chris. But it's not the (key) position.

"If Peyton Manning joined the conversation, the conversation in the NFL would change. If Drew Brees came in and really joined the conversation, it would change. Tom Brady. All these great white heroes that they have running around, throwing the football — if they jump into the conversation, it would be so much bigger."

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.