NFL considering kneeling penalty

— NFL club owners are considering potential 15-yard penalties for kneeling during the national anthem among ways of coping with a backlash over player protests, Sports Illustrated reported Tuesday.

According to a story on the magazine’s website, owners set aside three hours to talk about the anthem issue, which U.S. President Donald Trump elevated into a major controversy last year.

Ideas to handle players kneeling during the anthem included allowing home teams to decide if players should be out of the locker room during the pre-game playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” or not.

If players are on the sideline, then 15-yard penalties could be imposed on teams with players who kneel during the anthem.