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Dunn believed that she would have suffered much more than her teammate. Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

USWNT's Crystal Dunn didn't kneel because she feared losing her job

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 6/17/20

Following the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed African-American man who died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25 after a white officer kneeled on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes, many Americans found themselves rethinking previous notions.

A recent poll found that a majority of NFL fans now support players kneeling in protest during the national anthem, a movement made famous by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016.

United States Women's National Team star Megan Rapinoe also dropped to a knee during the Star-Spangled Banner that year, which led to the US Soccer Federation threatening to ban any footballers who failed to stand during the anthem.

US Soccer recently repealed that law, though, and USSF President Cindy Parlow Cone apologized to Rapinoe.

Parlow Cone may owe the same to others.

As ESPN's Jeff Carlisle wrote, American international Crystal Dunn admitted during a Bleacher Report forum that she wanted to join Rapinoe and protest but was worried kneeling would negatively impact her career:

"I also remember telling her that I had to stand because I don't know what's going to happen. I'm scared for my job. I'm scared that it's going to look differently if a black girl on the team kneels.

"I just remember having really hard conversations with her, how I was internally conflicted. I saw the way US Soccer responded and treated Megan. To me, I'm thinking they kept her out of some games, kept her out of camps, and, yes that was bad, but to me, I was thinking that they could rip up my contract. So, I thought I was actually going to get it worse.

"I remember telling her that it hurts me to my core that I'm going to stand. But, I always told her that I'm supportive...I'm happy US Soccer repealed their statement. They started with an apology. I think that's a step in the right direction. They truly did need to apologize first. That was first and foremost for the way they responded to those protests because it was peaceful.

"Colin and Megan...countless times it was repeated that it was not about the flag, but yet they twisted the narrative, same as the rest of the country and the NFL. They wanted to put out what they wanted to say, and that got pushed into the headlines. And they were attacked.

"'Pinoe lost money obviously not coming into camps and was told that she wasn't good enough. The amount of things that were spewed her way to justify her not being called into camps was crazy. It was outrageous. So, I truly, to this day, am so thankful to have a teammate like her to just not be afraid to stand up for what's right. It's important that we encourage everybody to do that."

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