Jones says players must respect flag

ARLINGTON, Texas — Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said the NFL can’t leave the impression that it tolerates players disrespecting the flag and that any of his Cowboys making such displays won’t play.

Jones hadhis strongest comments on the controversy Sunday night. They started with his response to a question about Vice President Mike Pence leaving the game in Indianapolis after about a dozen 49ers players knelt during the anthem.

“We cannot in theNFL in anyway give the implication that we tolerate disrespecting the flag,” Jones said after losing to the Packers. “We know that there is a serious debate in this country about those issues, but there is no question in my mind that the NFL and the Cowboys are going to stand up for the flag. So we’re clear.”

The Cowboys knelt arm- in- arm before the national anthem when they played at Arizona two weeks ago, days after President Donald Trump criticized NFL players.

Cowboys players, coaches and others, including Jones and his family, were among those in the line in Arizona. All of them stood during the anthem, with arms still locked.

Other than that, Cowboys players have stood on the sideline, many with hands over their hearts, during the anthem. Jones said he wasn’t aware of whether any of his players had raised a fist at the end of the anthem before the Green Bay game.

“I don’t know about that,” Jones said. “But if there’s anything that is disrespectful to the flag, then we will not play. OK? Understand? If we are disrespecting the flag, then we won’t play. Period.”