Eagles’ Malik Jackson says he will sit for the national anthem until Breonna Taylor’s killers face charges

Eagles defensive tackle Malik Jackson changed his national anthem posture a few weeks back, from standing with his fist in the air to sitting on the bench. Jackson said Thursday there was a reason for the switch.

He said he was reacting to a prosecutor’s decision in Louisville to not file criminal charges against police officers for shooting and killing Breonna Taylor, who was unarmed when they entered her home.

“The injustice to Breonna Taylor, saying that nobody got charged in her death, really bothered me,” Jackson said. “I just couldn’t stand for the flag after hearing our justice [system] say those cops did nothing wrong. That’s where I’m at right now, and I personally feel that until she gets justice, that’s where I’m gonna stay.”

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One ex-officer was charged with endangering people in an adjoining apartment with his gunshots, but that charge did not mention Taylor.

Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave came here from the Steelers in free agency. Asked Thursday what advice he could give teammates about trying to sack Ben Roethlisberger this weekend, Hargrave explained that he had little experience in this area, practicing against Roethlisberger for four seasons. Hitting or even brushing up against the quarterback in practice is frowned upon.

“You get close to 7 and you’re in trouble,” he said.

Other Eagles said that in dealing with Roethlisberger’s strength and his ability to get the ball out quickly, the focus would be on getting him off his preferred spot, making the 38-year-old quarterback move around.

In a similar vein, Hargrave’s thoughts on his former pass-rushing teammate, T.J. Watt, probably won’t be of much help to Eagles offensive linemen.

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“T.J. a dawg,” Hargrave said. “T.J. really a dawg, man. He’s got a lot of different ways he can beat you.."

Eagles linebacker Nate Gerry has become a focal point for fans upset with the team’s play, especially the play of the linebacking group. Thursday, Gerry issued an apology on social media after someone dug up Twitter posts from his teen years in which he used a version of a racial epithet.

Gerry apologized Thursday on social media.

"I have been made aware of some offensive social media posts I sent out many years ago,” Gerry said. “I am incredibly disappointed in myself and sick over these actions, because I know that they don’t reflect my values as a person, but more importantly because I understand the damage that my words have caused. That type of language is never acceptable. I am committed to showing through my actions that is not who I am or what I represent. I take full accountability and apologize to the organization, to my teammates, our fans, our community and everyone who I have offended by these incredibly insensitive and harmful posts.”