JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Allen Robinson said he used a "hands up" gesture on Sunday after his first touchdown catch of the season as a way to continue to bring attention to the recent police shootings of unarmed black men.
Robinson raised both hands as he stood in the back of the EverBank Field end zone following his 3-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter of Sunday's 19-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
"I had planned it," Robinson said Monday. "It's just a problem that [I'm] continuing to try to spread awareness about."
Sunday's action was not the first time Robinson has reacted to police shootings of unarmed black men. On Sept. 20, Robinson retweeted a video posted by NBC BLK, which showed Tulsa, Oklahoma, police officer Betty Shelby shooting and killing unarmed motorist Terence Crutcher. Robinson added the comment: "Crazy the world we live in."
Robinson said he doesn't plan on doing the "hands up" gesture each time he scores a touchdown during the rest of the season. He said he didn't discuss what he was going to do with his teammates before he did it, but defensive tackle Sen'Derrick Marks said it wasn't a surprise.
"It only surprises white people," he said "... I think it brings light [on the subject]. Just by [Colin] Kaepernick taking a knee it makes people talk about it, but no, I don't think it's going to change."
In addition to Robinson's gesture, four Jaguars players raised their right arms in protest during the playing of the national anthem before Sunday's game: defensive ends Jared Odrick and Dante Fowler Jr. and linebackers Telvin Smith and Hayes Pullard III.
