A team of US footballers who knelt during the national anthem to protest comments made by President Donald Trump have been booed by their own fans.

Video of a national anthem ceremony before a match between the New England Patriots and Houston Texans at the Gilette Stadium in Massachusetts on Sunday shows at least 15 Patriots players bending one knee and locking arms.

A number of fans booed their players, with some even calling for them to “stand up”, the Boston Herald reports .

Tension was heightened for the the Monday night game after more than 100 players protested during the weekend games.

They were reacting to US President Donald Trump’s comments on Friday that players who knelt were “sons of bitches” who should be sacked by the clubs’ owners.

Patriots team members were booed for their actions. (AFP)

Members of the New England Patriots kneel on the sidelines as the National Anthem is played before a game against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium. (AFP)

The line drew loud applause, but the words cut deep into America's most popular sports league, where the majority of players are black and many grew up in tough neighbourhoods, raised by strong women.

"I'm a son of a queen," an emotional Falcons defensive lineman Grady Jarrett said.

"There are no SOBs in this league," Lions coach Jim Caldwell said yesterday, when at least 200 NFL players either knelt, sat, stretched or prayed during "The Star-Spangled Banner".

Three teams didn't even take the field until the national anthem was over.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has since spoken out, openly stating his disagreement with the president’s assertion NFL owners should fire any player who refuses to stand for the anthem, calling it “just divisive”.

Yesterday Mr Trump tweeted that the league should make it mandatory to stand for the national anthem and that fans should shun anyone who doesn't.

The protest campaign started last year with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who sat down during the national anthem during a match in August 2016 in protest of the “oppression of black people and people of colour” by the United States.

"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour," he said, NFL Media reported at the time.

"To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way.

“There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."