Paid Advertisement

Ravens national anthem singer resigns from position

Paid Advertisement

Podcast Audio Vault

Paid Advertisement

Ravens national anthem singer Joey Odoms has resigned from the position heโ€™s held since the start of the 2014 season.
The decision comes two days after many players around the NFL โ€” including roughly a dozen members of the Ravens โ€” took a knee during the national anthem in response to President Donald Trumpโ€™s strong words over the weekend calling for owners to fire any players who wouldnโ€™t stand. Among the kneeling Baltimore players were Terrell Suggs, Mike Wallace, Lardarius Webb, C.J. Mosley, and Tony Jefferson as well as former Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis.
The protests have drawn strong reactions from fans threatening to boycott while others have expressed their support for the stance against racial inequality. Odoms, a member of the Maryland Army National Guard and former combat veteran, posted the following message on his Facebook and Instagram accounts Tuesday evening:
โ€œThe people Iโ€™ve had the pleasure of meeting at the Ravens organization have been nothing but nice to me, however the tone/actions of a large number of NFL fans in the midst of our countryโ€™s cultural crisis, have convinced me that I do not belong there. Someone once told me to always โ€˜go where youโ€™re welcomed.โ€™ This is not an emotional reaction to recent events, rather an ethical decision that part of me regrets but my core knows is the right choice.

โ€œThank you so much for the opportunity to grow as a performer and for allowing me to live out a dream of sharing my gift with you.โ€
Odoms is a former Baltimore City 911 operator who is also known for his work as a songwriter, actor, and photographer. He first expressed interest in singing the national anthem when he met head coach John Harbaugh in Afghanistan in 2014 and won a contest several months later to become the teamโ€™s regular anthem singer at M&T Bank Stadium.
After being blown out in a 44-7 loss to Jacksonville at Wembley Stadium in London, the Ravens return home to host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
Share the Post:

Paid Advertisement

Right Now in Baltimore

Twelve Ravens Thoughts following Week 16 win over Pittsburgh

Marlon Humphrey provided the cathartic moment that slammed the door as Baltimore beat the Steelers for just the second time in the last 10 meetings.

Ravens finish strong for 34-17 win over Pittsburgh to pull even in AFC North

Lamar Jackson threw three touchdowns and Derrick Henry rushed for 162 yards, but Marlon Humphrey's pick-6 allowed Baltimore to pull away.

ColumnNes: Big plays, big hits and Ravens showed no quit against Steelers

The Ravens talked all week about being locked in, and in the end, they were. Creating turnovers. And even landing on your own fumbles. It all matters this time of year. Turnovers turn over games. The Steelers made too manyโ€ฆ

Paid Advertisement

Verified by MonsterInsights