What is being lost is that when those players agree to put on their team jersey, they represent the team...not themselves individually.  Just like a lot of companies have polices to keep politics or religion or whatever out of the workplace, these individuals are looking to put the spotlight on themselves for whatever agenda they have.  They may feel they are doing this to show they are above the injustices that occur every day, but for most it is just a fake front.  Let them take their protest off the field but once on the field, they are a team and not individuals.   The ones protesting are living in the same elitist bubble that mainstream media, academics and sadly, politicians surround themselves with.