Marlins player mocks Dolphins’ Stills after dropped pass, tweets #karma

It’s almost unprecedented to see an athlete from one of South Florida’s teams mock an on-field mistake by another.

But there was a reason Marlins outfielder Christian Yelich retweeted Dolphins receiver Kenny Stills’ drop of a deep pass Sunday: He was unhappy with Stills for kneeling during the national anthem, something teammates Arian Foster, Jelani Jenkins and Michael Thomas also did.

Yelich on Sunday retweeted video of Kenny Stills dropping a deep pass Sunday, with the caption: “Kenny Stills all hands team.”

Yelich added the words: “Too worried about kneeling during the anthem. #Karma”

Before Monday’s Braves game in Atlanta, Yelich explained why he did that:

“I don’t disagree with the message they’re trying to get across,” Yelich said. “I agree there needs to be change in this country. I actually agree with them on what they are protesting. I disagree on how they’re going about it as do a lot of people in this country.

“It’s something I feel very strongly about, the national anthem. It means a lot to me. It means a lot to my family. It means a lot to a lot of people in this country. It’s not I don’t agree with the message because I do. I disagree with the way they’re protesting, the manner they’re going about it.”

Yelich especially objected to the players doing it on Sept. 11, the date of the 2001 terrorist attacks.

“On that day,” Yelich said, “maybe we can all kind of come together and put protests off for a week and show support together as a country. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen but that’s also what makes this country great is people have the right to express their opinion. They expressed theirs. I expressed mine. Some may like me for it. Some may not like me for it. Some may like them for it. Some may not. That’s what makes this place great. That’s how I felt about it.”

Stills said he hasn’t been involved “in a lot of social issues, but this is one I felt deeply about, strongly about in my heart. It was something I felt I had to take a stand on.”

Stills, who played all 53 offensive snaps Sunday, said he wasn’t sure if he would continue kneeling during the Anthem.

Of his drop Sunday, Stills said: “I thought somebody [a Seattle player] was there with me. I didn’t realize until I dropped the ball that nobody was around me. I see it as an opportunity to make me stronger. Next time I get the opportunity, I will make the play.”

Stills was holding a football during his interview Monday and said he would go out and catch passes afterward.

INJURY UPDATE

Coach Adam Gase said he wasn’t sure of a return date for defensive end Mario Williams (concussion), defensive tackle Earl Mitchell (calf injury) and center Mike Pouncey (hip).

Mitchell, who had missed most of preseason with a calf injury, was injured during the game. Gase said Mitchell and Pouncey are “week to week.” Williams will be part of the NFL’s concussion protocol and Gase said there’s no known timetable for a return.

• Gase said doesn’t expect Jordan Phillips (ankle) to miss any games.

• Though Gase said receiver DeVante Parker (hamstring) was close to playing Sunday, Parker said he’s “not sure yet” if he will be able to play next Sunday at New England.

“It’s feeling a lot better,” Parker said, adding he would try to run on Tuesday. “I’m close to 100 percent. It’s frustrating not being out there.”

Said Gase, of Parker: “Will it be this week? I would love that. We need him to practice and push himself. I know he’s trying to do that.”

• Jay Ajayi, who was left home for the Seattle game, has rejoined the team but declined to comment on Monday.

“He’s back in meetings; he’s back in the building,” Gase said. “We left him back. That was my decision. We’ve cleaned that up. We’ve moved past that. This is a new day for him today.”

Arian Foster played 46 of Miami’s 53 snaps at running back, with Damien Williams getting six snaps and Kenyan Drake one.

• For a look at most everything Gase had to say Monday, please click here.

• For a look at a major Dolphins concern looming Sunday in New England, plus all of Miami’s snap counts Sunday, please click here.

• In his first game as a backup, defensive Cam Wake played only 29 of Miami’s 82 snaps, with 23 coming on passing downs. Fourteen defensive teammates played more than Wake, who wasn’t credited with a tackle.

▪ Veteran linebacker A.J. Hawk will work out for the Dolphins this week, according to a source. Hawk, 32, played his first nine seasons for Green Bay and last year for Cincinnati, where he started 11 games and had 24 tackles and a sack. The Bengals released him in April.

This story was originally published September 12, 2016 at 5:23 PM with the headline "Marlins player mocks Dolphins’ Stills after dropped pass, tweets #karma."