Union could challenge

President Donald Trump described players who kneeled during the anthem to draw attention to racial injustice as “sons of bitches” who were

The remarks prompted a wave of kneeling protests across the league in September, angering some fans and placing several conservative, Trump-supporting team owners in an awkward position as NFL television ratings dropped.

Vice President Mike Pence, who walked out on an NFL game in Indianapolis after some players kneeled for the anthem, tweeted a headline of the NFL announcement Wednesday under

Trump later retweeted the message.

With the NFL’s leadership reluctant to issue a blanket decree ordering players to stand for the anthem, the deal approved Wednesday represents a compromise.

Under current NFL regulations, all play-

the anthem. The new policy removes that The NFL Players Association, which was not included in league discussions on how to handle the anthem issue, threatened to challenge the policy if it was deemed a violation of its agreement with the league.

“The NFL chose to not consult the union in the development of this new ‘policy,’” the players union said in a statement.

“The vote by NFL club CEOs today contradicts the statements made to our player leadership by commissioner Roger Goodell and the chairman of the NFL’s management council, John Mara, about the principles, values and patriotism of our league.

“Our union will review the new ‘policy’ and challenge any aspect of it that is inconsistent with the collective bargaining agreement.”

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began the protests in 2016 as a way of drawing attention to police brutality, social injustice and racial inequity.

Kaepernick’s protest followed a wave of deaths involving black men during confrontations with law enforcement.

In 2017, Kaepernick was unable to get an NFL job. Free agents Kaepernick and Eric Reid are suing the NFL, saying league owners colluded to keep them unsigned as retaliation for the protests.