RIGHTS TACKLED
nfL: stand, or stay off field Bid to nix players’ race protests
IT’S STANDING-room-only this seasononNFL sidelines — or else.
The league’s owners announced Wednesday that teams will be fined if their players take a pre-game knee during the national anthem, dredging up the divisive issue blamed for declining attendance andTVratings.
“This season, all league and team personnel shall stand and show respect for the anthem,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “Personnel who choose not to stand for the anthem may stay in thelocker room.”
Ownership imposed the new sanctions without consulting the players union — prompting an immediate backlash from the NFL Players Association.
“History has taught us that both patriotism and protest are like water: If the force is strong enough, it cannot be suppressed,” tweeted union head De Maurice Smith.
“Today, the CEOs of the NFL created a rule that people who hate autocracies should reject.”
The Players Association threatened legal action challenging any part of the policy that violates its collective bargaining deal with the league.
The new guidelines leave the punishment of individual violators tothe teams rather than the league.
The union also charged the new policy contradicted statements made by Goodell and Giants coowner John Mara, chairman of the league management council, made to the players regarding “the principles, values and patriotism of our league,” the union said.
The decision puts the protest debate front and center for the NFL for a third season — dating to 2016, when 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick first took a knee to protest police brutality against blacks.
Last year, President Trump fanned the flames by declaring that NFL owners, when faced with a protesting player, should “get that son of a bitch off the field.”
Kaepernick retweeted a Wednesday comment by his lawyer Mark Geragos on the policy: “#nflcollusion.” Kaepernick is suing the league, claiming he was blackballed over his politics.
Ed Reed, a safety who is one of Kaepernick’s most prominent backers, has also landed on the outsidelooking in as NFL teams fill out their rosters.
The new policy, like the NFL’s
old approach, was greeted with cheers and jeers.
“It’s crazy to think that they think ratings dropped because of the kneeling,” tweeted Giants defensive tackle Damon Harrison. “I can promise you it was wayyyy more people ACTUALLY not watching due to the support of the kneeling.”
Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott was more upbeat: “I’m glad they came to an agreement. I’ll be out there standing.”
WFAN sports radio host Mike Francesa ripped the league for its continuing mishandling of the con- troversy.
“Once again the NFL shows no backbone,” he tweeted. “No courage, no conviction. This once great league has become a disgrace.”
Though the league said approval was unanimous, 49ers owner Jed York revealed that he abstained from voting because he wanted to hear more fromthe players.
“I want to work with my team to make sure everything we do is about promoting the right types of social justice reform and getting to abetter America,” said York.
Cleveland Brown quarterback Tyrod Taylor expressed his dismay that the players were not consulted aboutthemove.
“To make a decision that strong, you would hope the players have input on it but obviously not,” said Taylor. “But at the end of the day, they call the shots and make their rules and that’s what we have to abide by.”
Goodell, in his statement, made it abundantly clear that the league hoped this move would put the lingering controversy in the past.
“It was unfortunate that on-field protests created a false perception among many that thousands of NFL players were unpatriotic,” he said. “This is not and was never the case.”
Owners announced their plan after rejecting a proposed 15-yard penalty against teams if a player kneelsin protest — the equivalent of a personal foul penalty.