Muslim NFL player Mohamed Sanu declined to opine on president Donald Trump's travel ban of seven predominately Muslim countries, when quizzed on the matter at Super Bowl Opening Night.
The Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots have arrived in Houston for American football's 51st showpiece event this weekend, but there is no escaping the political landscape in the country, as Trump continues to make waves after assuming office earlier this month.
Last week, he enforced an order that barred refugees and citizens from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, Libya and Sudan from entering America, a situation that has sparked protests across the States, including at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, where the two franchises arrived over Sunday and Monday.
Sanu spent time growing up in Sierra Leone, not a country on that list, but the fact the prominent Atlanta Falcons receiver is the only practising Muslim who will play at NRG Stadium this weekend meant he garnered plenty of interest during the first round of media availability on Monday night.
"That's a very tough situation," the 27-year-old said of the immigration ban.
"I just pray that us, as a country and a world, can just be united as one. It's really hard for me to talk about this now, it would take a lot of time, so I just want to focus on the game and just talk about football.