Lions’ Spence: Anthem protest cost his father work

Allen Park — One of the Detroit Lions players who took a knee during the national anthem last Sunday is claiming his protest is negatively impacting his family.

According to a tweet from defensive tackle Akeem Spence, his father was denied work because of his son’s protest.

“Got some awful news from my father,” Spence wrote. “A contractor deny giving him a job on doing a house because of my peaceful protest.”

Spence’s father, Floyd Spence, runs Spence Concrete Contractors in Navarre, Fla.

Spence signed with the Lions as a free agent this offseason. Through the first three games, he’s recorded three tackles.

He was one of eight Lions players to take a knee before the game, part of a league-wide response to comments made by president Donald Trump early that week.

jdrogers@detroitnews.com

twitter.com/Justin_Rogers