In a show of unity, Raiders’ Derek Carr places a hand on Khalil Mack. Carr explains.

It was a show of unity.

Just before Saturday’s exhibition game between the Oakland Raiders and the Los Angeles Rams, quarterback Derek Carr placed his right hand on defensive end Khalil Mack’s left shoulder during the national anthem.

It wasn’t a protest, said Carr, the ex-Fresno State star, but instead a sign of unity during a week where tensions rose following clashes between white supremacists and opponents in Charlottesville, Va. A woman was killed in the melee that resulted and two lawmen lost their lives when the helicopter they were in crashed.

“We’re not protesting,” Carr said after the Raiders lost to the Rams 24-21. “We’re not doing anything like that, but what we wanted to do is show all the kids that look up to me and look up to him that white kids, black kids, brown kids, blue, green, it doesn’t matter. All be loving to each other. We’re best friends and we’re loving to one another. The only reason why we did that is to unify people and to unify the people that look up to us because obviously we see what’s going on in the world.”

Other NFL players have supported one another, such as when Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins raised his first during Thursday's national anthem and veteran Chris Long supported his teammate by wrapping his arm around him.

Same with Seattle Seahawks center Justin Britt when he placed his hand on teammate Michael Bennett, who sat during the national anthem, on Friday.

Carr’s teammate Marshawn Lynch sat during the national anthem for the second week in a row and didn’t answer a question on why he sat.

Nonetheless, Carr and Mack felt now is the best time to send a message about unity.

“Yeah, it was something that was talked about,” Mack said. “It’s kind of just showing a little unity, using our platform to show unity that different races can get along, you know what I am saying? White, black, whatever you are. Everyone can get along and be friends and do all those different things. It just shows unity and togetherness.”

Carr echoed Mack’s sentiments.

“Obviously everyone pays attention to the national anthem nowadays,” Carr said. “We just said this is the best time to do it while still honoring our country because I love this country more than anything. We’re free to live here and play this game, but we’re also free to show we love one another, and that’s the only message we’re trying to get out is any kid, any family, any adult that follows us and looks up to us, we knew their eyes would be on us and we wanted to show them it’s OK for a white kid and black kid that comes up from two different neighborhoods to grow up and love one another and be best friends.

“All I'm trying to show these kids is I love everybody. And all Khalil was trying to do is just show these kids he loves everybody as well.”

This story was originally published August 20, 2017 at 10:06 AM with the headline "In a show of unity, Raiders’ Derek Carr places a hand on Khalil Mack. Carr explains.."