ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — When Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall took a knee during the national anthem to protest racial inequality and police brutality before eight games last year, he quickly learned there would be blowback.

He lost two Denver-area endorsement deals (CenturyLink and Air Academy Credit Union) and received hate mail and plenty of nasty comments on his social media accounts.

So Marshall could speak with authority when his teammates, many protesting for the first time Sunday, faced similar reaction — especially outside linebacker Von Miller, who may not have his endorsement contract with a Colorado Ford dealership renewed after he knelt during the national anthem.

“It's not always going to be popular. Somebody is going to want to make an example out of you. But that shouldn't deter you from doing what you feel is right,” Marshall said Monday.

Phil Long Ford requested that ads featuring Miller no longer air, according to KUSA-9 News, and the dealership later issued a statement to The Denver Post, saying that “sometimes we feel we best represent ourselves.”

“We support Von and his first amendment rights. We know Von, and he’s a good person. He donated a police car to his hometown police department. All that notwithstanding, when we bring in celebrities to represent us, we run the risk of being misrepresented.”

Miller declined to discuss the issue Monday, beyond confirming that his contract with the dealership was up. When asked by USA TODAY Sports if that made him regret his decision to kneel, Miller’s only response was: “I’m good.”

Broncos players and coach Vance Joseph said Monday they have not decided what, if anything, they will do during the anthem next week. Marshall, who was the only Bronco to protest last year, hopes that fear of negative reaction won’t dictate whatever that plan may be.

“Me, I never let money deter me from what I feel is right. If I did, I would have stood back up after the first time, after I lost those two endorsements and after I got all the backlash. I would have stood up and tried to get the endorsements back, but I didn't,” Marshall said.

“You can't sway me with money. At the end of the day, that's not going to make me happy in the end. Of course it's a comfort, you use it to live a good life. But it's not going to make me happy as a man.”

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Follow Lindsay H. Jones on Twitter @bylindsayhjones

PHOTOS: NFL anthem protests