Giants' Coonrod says he didn't kneel due to his faith, issues with BLM

San Francisco Giants pitcher Sam Coonrod was the only player on the field not to kneel as part of a united message toward ending racial inequality before Thursday's season opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The 27-year-old right-hander - who stood down the first-base line while his teammates and coaches took a knee before the national anthem - explained his decision to not join his peers following the Giants' 8-1 loss to their rivals.

"I'm a Christian," Coonrod said, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. "I can't get on board on a couple of things I've read about Black Lives Matter, how they lean toward Marxism and said some negative things about the nuclear family."

Coonrod said that he was caught off-guard by the scenario and did not have time to discuss his stance with his teammates before it all happened.

He also mentioned that manager Gabe Kapler, who was one of a handful of individuals who kept kneeling during the anthem, has told him he respected their differences.

"I meant no ill will by it," Coonrod explained. "I don't think I'm better than anybody. I'm just a Christian. I believe I can't kneel before anything but God, Jesus Christ. I chose not to kneel. I feel if I did kneel I'd be a hypocrite. I don't want to be a hypocrite."