"All Lives Matter" - When Justin Verlander lashed out at athletes kneeling during Star-Spangled Banner

The 2018 season was a wild one for many baseball players, including Justin Verlander. Many athletes were sitting out the National Anthem in protest of how minorities, specifically African Americans, have been treated by law enforcement.

It was a situation that Verlander felt uneasy about. Being a proud American, he did not feel that sitting out the National Anthem was the right thing to do at the time.

While the then-Detroit Tigers ace was watching a Blue Jays game where they broadcasted the Canadian National Anthem on TBS, Verlander felt the need to express his feelings on social media.

"Just sang the Canadian national anthem on TBS and we here in America can't stand together for our anthem. #alllivesmatter #TogetherStronger" stated Verlander.

Justin Verlander was quickly met with harsh criticism for his post. Many fans were unsure he was in a position to speak on such a matter, being a wealthy white male.

After his post, Verlander was accused of not understanding the Black Lives Matter movement. However, the three-time Cy Young Award winner's perspective changed shortly after.

Justin Verlander's perspective shifted over time

Justin Verlander (Image via Getty)

Athletes kneeling in protest over the National Anthem stuck around as various athletes used their platforms to speak out on the injustices. During Opening Day of the 2020 MLB season, many Houston Astros players kneeled for the anthem.

Verlander was asked about the situation after the game, and it was evident he had changed his tune.

"When I look in the mirror now especially given my platform, it's not good enough to just say: 'OK, I'm not racist,'" he said. "I think over the past six, seven years that's shown that that's not enough. There needs to be change in our culture. I think bringing attention to it the way we did is a good way to do it" said Verlander.

That same season, Verlander, alongside his wife, Kate Upton, announced a donation to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. After educating themselves, Upton stated on her Instagram that the whole experience was "eye-opening."

Verlander is a known supporter of charities. In 2016, the cave started the "Wins for Warriors Foundation," supporting United States military veterans. In 2017, Verlander's campaign raised $246,311 to help the city of Houston recover from Hurricane Harvey. To date, he has donated over $1 million to the cause, helping the city he has come to love.