Christian conservative Franklin Graham has praised the Tampa Bay Rays players who refused to wear an LGBTQ Pride Month patch during the team's 16th annual Pride Night celebration.

According to various reports, at least five players refused to wear the team's Pride cap and logos during the June 4 home game against the Chicago White Sox.

The Tampa Bay Times reported that pitchers Jason Adam, Jalen Beeks, Brooks Raley, Jeffrey Springs, and Ryan Thompson instead wore the team's standard caps.

Adam told the outlet that the decision to opt out was based on religion.

“A lot of it comes down to faith, to like a faith-based decision,” Adam said. “So it’s a hard decision. Because ultimately we all said what we want is them to know that all are welcome and loved here. But when we put it on our bodies, I think a lot of guys decided that it’s just a lifestyle that maybe – not that they look down on anybody or think differently.”

“It’s just that maybe we don’t want to encourage it if we believe in Jesus, who’s encouraged us to live a lifestyle that would abstain from that behavior, just like (Jesus) encourages me as a heterosexual male to abstain from sex outside of the confines of marriage. It’s no different,” he said.

In a Facebook post, Graham, the son of the late televangelist Billy Graham and a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump, applauded the players for refusing to endorse and celebrate “sin.”

“I appreciate these Tampa Bay Rays players who said no to endorsing and celebrating sin during Saturday night's game,” Graham wrote.

(Related: Franklin Graham prepared to have his head “chopped off” for opposing gay rights.)

Matt LaBarge, a self-described “avid Rays fan,” told NPR that he was disappointed by Adam's remarks.

“By using the word 'behavior,' it's implying that it's a choice. That's the talk of marginalization and I couldn't agree with that,” he said.