Brandon Marshall says he has no regrets. He doesn’t regret kneeling for the national anthem ahead of the Broncos’ season opener against the Panthers on Thursday. He doesn’t regret his peaceful protest of racial inequity and police brutality. And he doesn’t regret it all, even as the backlash and hatred pile on.

Marshall, a teammate of Colin Kaepernick’s at the University of Nevada, said he had made the calculated decision to join the 49ers quarterback standing — or kneeling — for his beliefs, but expected pushback.

Friday, Marshall lost an endorsement with Air Academy Federal Credit Union. On Monday, Marshall lost another in CenturyLink, a company whose name is painted on the top of the Seattle Seahawks’ stadium. (On Sunday, all 53 Seahawks players stood together for the anthem, with their arms linked as a show of unity.)



“We completely respect Brandon Marshall’s personal decision and right to take an action to support something in which he strongly believes,” CenturyLink said in a statement. “America is anchored in the right of individuals to express their beliefs. While we acknowledge Brandon’s right, we also believe that whatever issues we face, we also occasionally must stand together to show our allegiance to our common bond as a nation. In our view, the national anthem is one of those moments. For this reason, while we wish Brandon the best this season, we are politely terminating our agreement with him.”

As Marshall and his teammates practiced at the Broncos’ Dove Valley facility Monday morning, a man pulled up to the team’s headquarters and set ablaze an orange T-shirt with Marshall’s name written on it in ink.

Protest outside of #Broncos headquarters with Brandon Marshall jersey. pic.twitter.com/R8Iw04C2ha — Eric Goodman (@EricGoodman) September 12, 2016

“It’s an evil world. It’s a hateful world,” Marshall said. “I’m not here to spread hate. I’m not here to respond to the hate. I’m here to spread love and positivity.”

Marshall said he will kneel again for the anthem Sunday when the Broncos host the Colts in a Week 2 matchup. He has spoken with Kaepernick about “the end game,” about taking steps to effect change in the community and beyond. And he said he has taken initial steps to formulate a plan locally, starting with a discussion with Denver police chief, Robert White.

White was appointed chief by Mayor Michael Hancock in 2011, after the Denver police department dealt with a string of allegations of excessive force under previous chief, Gerald Whitman.

On Monday, shortly after unveiling a $1.9 billion budget proposal for 2017 that includes an extra $16 million devoted to public safety to put more police officers on patrol, the mayor said he applauded Marshall’s stand and effort to bring change to Denver.

“There’s sincere value in a person who is willing to put their voice towards critical issues,” Hancock said. “Now, taking action on those issues can be powerful, and I’m glad Brandon has asked to meet with our Police Chief as a thoughtful step towards getting involved.

“I am not surprised he is taking this sort of step. I’ve had the pleasure to meet him on several occasions, all of which were instances when he was giving back to this community.” Related Articles September 10, 2016 Kiszla: Brandon Marshall should stop kneeling during anthem and stand up for what he believes

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Marshall, while disheartened by the hatred aimed toward him since his protest, said the backlash and lost endorsements won’t prompt him to rethink his decision.

“I feel there’s a lot of oppression still,” he said. “People don’t really realize it because people that aren’t minorities, they don’t know what it’s like to be a minority in this country. I’m not saying it’s terrible. I love this country. We have great opportunities, but at the same time, if you’re not a minority you don’t understand. I speak for everybody when I say that, because I know they agree with me. Whether they say it on camera or not, they agree with me.

“I’m a likeable guy. I was once a fan favorite for a reason. It’s cool, because people can call me the N-word or cuss at me or say they wish I’d break my neck all they want. There’s no backlash from me. Hate can’t drive out hate. Only love can drive out hate.”