A member of the Cleveland Browns became the first white NFL player to kneel during the national anthem.

More than a dozen players formed a prayer circle on the team's sideline before Monday night's pre-season game against the New York Giants as the Star-Spangled Banner played.

The group included veterans, rookies, starters and backups, and for the first time a white participant - second-year tight end Seth DeValve.

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Cleveland Browns tight end Seth DeValve, 24 (far right), became the first white NFL player to kneel during the national anthem before Monday night's pre-season game against the New York Giants

DeValve's kneel came just one week after Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett called for white players to participate in the national anthem protest (DeValve is tackled by New York Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins in Monday night's game)

DeValve was a fourth-round pick last year out of Princeton University (left). In June 2017, he married Erica Harris (right), who is African-American, and says he hopes his future children grow up in a better world

'I wanted to take the opportunity with my teammates during the anthem to pray for our country,' said Seth DeValve, 24.

'And also to draw attention to the fact that we have work to do. And that's why I did what I did.'

DeValve's kneel came just one week after Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett called for white players to participate in the national anthem protest.

'It would take a white player to really get things changed, because when somebody from the other side understands and they step up and they speak up about it...it would change the whole conversation,' he said.

For DeValve, a fourth-round pick last year out of Princeton University, however, the protest is also personal.

In June 2017, he married Erica Harris, an African-American woman, whom he met while attending Princeton.

Both have been very vocal about the white supremacist rally that took place in Charlottesville, Virginia, on August 12 - making several Facebook posts about it - and Harris even shared the moment her husband knelt during Monday's game.

DeValve has said that he hopes his future children grow up in a better world.

'It saddens me that in 2017 we have to do something like that,' said DeValve, from Manchester, Connecticut.

'The United States is the greatest country in the world...The issue is that it doesn't provide equal opportunity to everybody.

'I wanted to support my African-American teammates today who wanted to take a knee. We wanted to draw attention to the fact that there's things in this country that still need to change. I myself will be raising children that don't look like me, and I want to do my part as well to do everything I can to raise them in a better environment than we have right now.'

'I myself will be raising children that don't look like me, and I want to do my part as well to do everything I can to raise them in a better environment than we have right now,' DeValve said (pictured with Harris)

The couple (pictured) met while attending Princeton University, in Princeton, New Jersey, together

The couple have both been vocal about the white supremacist rally that took place in Charlottesville, Virginia on August 12, making several Facebook posts about it (above)

Harris shared a photo on social media of the moment her husband kneelt during the anthem

NFL players - and other American sports stars - have followed the movement started by then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who said the gesture was in protest of mass police brutality against African-Americans.

'I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,' Kaepernick, who is currently not in the league, said at the time.

With DeValve in the huddle were linebackers Jamie Collins and Christian Kirksey; running backs Isaiah Crowell, Duke Johnson, Terrance Magee and Brandon Wilds; safety Jabrill Peppers; wide receivers Kenny Britt and Ricardo Louis; and defensive back Calvin Pryor.

Rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer, offensive tackle Shon Coleman, punter Britton Colquitt, defensive back Jason McCourty and offensive lineman Marcus Martin stood and supported their teammates by putting their hands on their shoulders.

Colquitt, who is also white, placed a hand over his heart as Kirksey led the group in prayer.

'I wanted to support my African-American teammates today who wanted to take a knee. We wanted to draw attention to the fact that there's things in this country that still need to change,' DeValve said (pictured during practice in May 2017)

More than a dozen players knelt or stood with their hands on teammates' shoulders in solidarity in what is believed to be the single largest protest by a team to date (pictured)

The movement was started last year by then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (pictured kneeling, right, with Eric Reid in September 2016) in protest of mass police brutality against African-Americans

The protest is believed to be the largest so far by a single team to date in the social-consciousness movement.

Browns coach Hue Jackson, who last week clarified previous remarks that seemed to indicate he was opposed to any demonstrations, stood behind his players.

'We respect our players; we respect the flag,' Jackson said following Cleveland's 10-6 win. 'Those guys came to me and talked to me about it before they ever made a decision to do it.

'That is the way we feel about it, and we have talked about this. I said at some point in time, they may, and they have. I won't know about the next game until it happens, but again, this was tonight and we will move on from there.'