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  4. title => "Sanu: 'I am here because of my football talents, not because I am Muslim'"
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  6. article_body => "<p>HOUSTON \u2014 Everyone knew Tom Brady wasn\u2019t going to talk about Donald Trump\u2019s travel ban, but staying away from the subject proved to be a strategy for players regardless of their relationship with the President.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>SUPER BOWL LI: TUESDAY REPORT<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnne.com\/new-england-patriots\/mothers-illness-a-weight-for-new-england-patriots-qb-tom-brady-to-bear-this-season?int\" target=\"_blank\">Mother's illness has been a weight for Brady to bear this season<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnne.com\/new-england-patriots\/brady-personal-legacy-would-never-be-part-my-vocabulary?int\" target=\"_blank\">Brady: 'Personal legacy' would never be part of my vocabulary<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnne.com\/new-england-patriots\/disrespected-on-nfl-draft-day-rutgers-duron-harmon-knew-he-could-be-nfl-player-win-super-bowls-with-bill-belichick-new-england-patriots?int\" target=\"_blank\">Duron Harmon's second Super Bowl trip should tell the doubters: He's a player<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnne.com\/new-england-patriots\/patrick-chung-could-win-second-super-bowl-since-returning-to-new-england-patriots?int\" target=\"_blank\">Patrick Chung has made a ring-ing return to New England after a miserable year in Philadelphia<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnne.com\/new-england-patriots\/heading-into-super-bowl-li-vs-atlanta-falcons-new-england-patriiots-bill-belichick-coaching-beats-working?int\" target=\"_blank\">Belichick on his career: 'It beats working'<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnne.com\/new-england-patriots\/martellus-bennett-would-play-under-franchise-tag-but-knows-super-bowl-li-vs-atlanta-falcons-could-be-final-game-with-new-england-patriots?int\" target=\"_blank\">This may be Martellus Bennett's last game with the Patriots<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnne.com\/new-england-patriots\/10-takeaways-super-bowl-opening-night?int\" target=\"_blank\">Bean: Ten takeaways from Super Bowl Opening Night<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnne.com\/video\/trent-dilfer-still-apologizing-saying-tom-brady-wasnt-good-2014?int\" target=\"_blank\">Dilfer still apologizing for 'Patriots and Brady aren't good anymore' comment in 2014<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnne.com\/video\/tom-brady-rich-toucher-rich-are-you-drugs?int\" target=\"_blank\">Brady to Rich (from Toucher &amp; Rich): Are you on drugs?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnne.com\/new-england-patriots\/boomer-esiason-beat-patriots-you-have-have-great-d-line?int\" target=\"_blank\">Esiason: To beat Patriots, you need a great defensive line<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>While <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnne.com\/new-england-patriots\/martellus-bennett-would-most-likely-skip-visit-to-donald-trump-white-house-if-new-england-patriots-won-super-bowl-li\" target=\"_blank\">Martellus Bennett said he most likely would not go to the White House<\/a> if the Patriots won the Super Bowl because he doesn\u2019t like Donald Trump, players generally shied away from the ban.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Included in that group was Falcons receiver Mohamed Sanu, who is Muslim. Asked about Trump\u2019s executive order, which keeps refugees from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia from entering the States, Sanu expressed disappointment but tried to keep the discussion on Super Bowl LI.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a very tough situation and I just pray that us as a country and a world can be united as one,\u201d Sanu said. \u201cIt\u2019s really hard for me to talk about this right now. It would take a lot of time so I just want to focus on the game and focus on football.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Added Sanu: \u201cI knew [I\u2019d be asked about the ban]. My name is Mohamed and a lot of people know I am Muslim, but I am here because of my football talents, not because I am Muslim.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Working as Atlanta\u2019s No. 2 receiver, Sanu finished the regular season 653 receiving yards on 59 catches with four touchdowns after leaving Cincinnati in free agency. He has nine catches for 96 yards and two touchdowns this postseason.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Sanu drew attention from the Patriots in free agency, but <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnne.com\/new-england-patriots\/10-takeaways-super-bowl-opening-night\" target=\"_blank\">said there was \u201creally not that much\u201d talk of a deal <\/a>coming together.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n"
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Patriots

Patriots

HOUSTON — Everyone knew Tom Brady wasn’t going to talk about Donald Trump’s travel ban, but staying away from the subject proved to be a strategy for players regardless of their relationship with the President. 

SUPER BOWL LI: TUESDAY REPORT

While Martellus Bennett said he most likely would not go to the White House if the Patriots won the Super Bowl because he doesn’t like Donald Trump, players generally shied away from the ban. 

Included in that group was Falcons receiver Mohamed Sanu, who is Muslim. Asked about Trump’s executive order, which keeps refugees from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia from entering the States, Sanu expressed disappointment but tried to keep the discussion on Super Bowl LI. 

“It’s a very tough situation and I just pray that us as a country and a world can be united as one,” Sanu said. “It’s really hard for me to talk about this right now. It would take a lot of time so I just want to focus on the game and focus on football.”

Added Sanu: “I knew [I’d be asked about the ban]. My name is Mohamed and a lot of people know I am Muslim, but I am here because of my football talents, not because I am Muslim.”

Working as Atlanta’s No. 2 receiver, Sanu finished the regular season 653 receiving yards on 59 catches with four touchdowns after leaving Cincinnati in free agency. He has nine catches for 96 yards and two touchdowns this postseason. 

 

Sanu drew attention from the Patriots in free agency, but said there was “really not that much” talk of a deal coming together.