ALLEN PARK -- Akeem Spence was one of eight Detroit Lions players to kneel during the national anthem last Sunday.

Now, the Lions defensive tackle said his father lost work as a result of that decision.

Got some awful news from my father a contractor deny giving him a job on doing a house because of my peaceful protest #smh — Akeem spence (@AkeemSpence) September 28, 2017

Spence, who signed with the Lions this offseason after playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, made his decision in response to President Donald Trump's comments earlier in the week that players who do should be fired. Kneeling during the anthem is a hot-button topic that former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started last season by kneeling to oppose what he saw as racial injustice in law enforcement.

Lions players discussed the day before the game against the Atlanta Falcons about what they wanted to do in response to the president's comments. The team was split, and eight players including Spence knelt as most of the rest of the team stood with arms locked.

"That's not us. That's not what we represent," Spence said after the game. "The NFL represents a lot more than that -- people giving back to their communities and hard-working guys. Guys come out here and bust their tail every day, give their all for this game. For one person to give their opinion on what our owner should do, that's not it."