The biggest storyline of the weekend collided with the best game of the weekend in Seattle as the Houston Texans lost 41-38 at the Seahawks in a wildly entertaining NFL encounter that had everything.

Around 40 Texans players took a knee during the pre-game national anthem, an ever-growing number after their franchise owner, Trump donor Bob McNair, had described increasing protests as “letting inmates run the prison.”

With so many black stars in the league and the astonishing, disproportionate rates of African-American incarceration in the US, what McNair later claimed was simply a ‘figure of speech’ could barely have been more inappropriate. This is an issue that won’t go away, no matter how much the league, its owners and Donald Trump want it to and comments like McNair’s not only serve to show why but to exacerbate the issue.

American sportspeople kneel in protest Show all 14 1 /14 American sportspeople kneel in protest American sportspeople kneel in protest Terrance Smith #48, Eric Fisher #72, Demetrius Harris #84, and Cameron Erving #75 of the Kansas City Chiefs is seen taking a knee before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at the StubHub Center on 24 September, 2017 in Carson, California Sean M. Haffey/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Members of the Dallas Cowboys link arms and kneel during the National Anthem before the start of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on 25 September, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona Christian Petersen/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Bruce Maxwell of the Oakland Athletics kneels as teammate Mark Canha #20 places his hand on Maxwell's shoulder during the singing of the National Anthem before their MLB American League baseball game against the Seattle Mariners at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California on 25 September 2017 Reuters/Stephen Lam American sportspeople kneel in protest Members of the Oakland Unified School District Honor Band kneel as they perform the national anthem before a MLB American League baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and the Seattle Mariners at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California on 25 September, 2017 Reuters/Stephen Lam American sportspeople kneel in protest Samaje Perine #32 and Chris Carter #55 of the Washington Redskins hold hands as they stand and kneel in unison during the national anthem before playing against the Oakland Raiders at FedExField on 24 September, 2017 in Landover, Maryland Patrick Smith/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Meghan Linsey, a former contestant on "The Voice," kneels after singing the national anthem before the start of the Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks football game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee on 24 September, 2017 Ryan Hermens/The Paducah Sun via AP American sportspeople kneel in protest The Los Angeles Chargers are seen during national anthem before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at the StubHub Center on 24 September, 2017 in Carson, California Jeff Gross/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Nick Kyrgios of Team World joined NFL stars from Wembley by dropping his knee before his Laver Cup match with Roger Federer today during his mens singles match against Roger Federer of Team Europe on the final day of the Laver cup on 24 September, 2017 in Prague, Czech Republic Julian Finney/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Laremy Tunsil #67, Maurice Smith #27 and Julius Thomas #89 kneel with Jarvis Landry #14 of the Miami Dolphins during the National Anthem prior to an NFL game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on 24 September, 2017 in East Rutherford, New Jersey Steven Ryan/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Tampa Bay Buccaneers Wide Receivers Mike Evans #13, and DeSean Jackson #11, take a knee during the national anthem before the game against the Minnesota Vikings on 24 September, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota Hannah Foslien/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Denver Broncos players kneel during the American National Anthem before an NFL game against the Buffalo Bills on 24 September, 2017 at New Era Field in Orchard Park, New York Brett Carlsen/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Buffalo Bills players kneel during the American National anthem before an NFL game against the Denver Broncos on 24 September, 2017 at New Era Field in Orchard Park, New York Brett Carlsen/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Colin Kaepernick #7 and Eric Reid #35 of the San Francisco 49ers kneel in protest during the national anthem prior to playing the Los Angeles Rams in their NFL game at Levi's Stadium on September 12, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. The kneel began as a protest against police killing people of colour Thearon W. Henderson/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Megan Rapinoe #15 kneels during the National Anthem prior to the match between the United States and the Netherlands at Georgia Dome on 18 September, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia Kevin C. Cox/Getty

Two Texans players, on hearing about McNair’s comments, had skipped practice on Friday and their divergent fortunes were also indicative of why the NFL’s players have been unable to make a bigger stand than they currently do.

DeAndre Hopkins is the team’s star wide receiver. He didn’t practice on Friday but nor did he really need to, he was always going to get the start in Seattle and, linking up with superstar first-year quarterback Deshaun Watson, he put on a show. 224 yards and a touchdown – the second-best game of his career.

Hopkins signed a five-year, $81m contract with the Texans last month that means there was never any chance of retribution. Of all the players in the NFL, only around 2-5% have the financial and job security to defy their franchise owners and Hopkins is one of that minority. Others don’t have that luxury but took a stand regardless.

D’Onta Foreman is a rookie running back who has backed up first-stringer Lamar Miller this season. One day he might be top of the depth chart but after deciding to skip practice on Friday he found himself benched in Seattle, not touching the ball once.

"I'm still upset," Foreman said post-game. "I still feel like some things shouldn't be said, but you go to deal with it. I was upset. I feel like my family that's been supporting the Texans since they started the franchise and me growing up watching this franchise, a comment like that is definitely going to hit home with me.

A number of Texans took a knee prior to the game (Getty)

"I have a daughter. Even though she's young, that's something you got to stand on morals and principles. I was brought up like that. You have to stand for something or you'll fall for anything. I want to be here. I love my teammates."

Foreman’s absence from the field on Sunday night will please some of the league’s more hardline owners. A message to anyone thinking of making some noise that it isn’t appreciated by those who really wield the power in the NFL.

The owners believe they hold that power but the players like to think they do too. They should have, they are more numerous and they are the attraction, after all. There is only so long that people would still pay to watch sub-par football should the best players make a concerted, united stand on something and hold out from playing. But there remains only a select few can take a stand and until that tiny group realise that and act on it, the will of the rich, predominantly white and Republican team owners will suppress stronger, more meaningful action.

Players like Foreman have their careers and livelihoods to think of. The average player entering the NFL lasts just three-and-a-half years, and for late-round picks and running backs that life expectancy is even shorter. What the 21-year-old rookie did was brave but could cost him down the line - what better evidence do you need of owners prioritising obedience over talent than the fact that Colin Kaepernick remains unemployed while the likes of C.J. Beathard and Blake Bortles are still out there slinging passes?

While McNair will now lie low, the excuses he gave in apologising for those comments have ignited a further row about the leadership of the NFL under current commissioner Roger Goodell.