NFL FAILS TO TACKLE KNEELING PROTESTS
Owners, players punt on rule change
Facing a firestorm of vitriol from across the political spectrum, NFL owners and players met yesterday to discuss social issues — but the two sides punted when it came to confronting the flashpoint national anthem protest that has divided the nation.
The league’s policy regarding whether or not players must stand during the “The Star-Spangled Banner” did not come up during the meeting in New York. That policy states that players “should” stand for the anthem but does not force those who have been kneeling in protest to rise.
There has been a push from those who find the protest disrespectful to change the policy from “should” to “must.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell indicated that the league did not try to ask players to commit to standing during the pregame tradition.
“We did not ask for that,” Goodell said. “We spent today talking about the issues that players have been trying to bring attention to — issues to make our communities better. I think we all agree there’s nothing more important than trying to give back to our communities and make them better.”
In a memo sent to teams last week, Goodell said the NFL prefers that its players stand. In a statement released yesterday, he said players and owners plan to meet within the next two weeks but did not have a specific date.
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, who was among the 11 owners in the closed meeting, said the conversation was constructive and added that the NFL’s policy on the national anthem “did not come up.”
Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins, a leading spokesman among the players, said discussion was about “everything to do with the state of the NFL now, obviously anthem protests, activism that players have been doing, and how we can move this forward to really amplify players’ voices and amplify these issues and make some long sustainable changes.”
Debate over players kneeling during the national anthem has surrounded the NFL since last year, but it hit a fever pitch last month when President Trump said league owners should “fire” players who participate.
Trump, who spoke last night at the conservative Heritage Foundation’s President’s Club Meeting, did not reference the NFL or the protests.
Former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started the trend last year when he kneeled during the anthem in protest of racial injustice in America. Kaepernick is a free agent and last week filed a grievance against the league, claiming NFL-wide collusion is the reason he doesn’t have a job.
The one-time starter was not invited to yesterday’s meeting by NFL brass, according to his attorney.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was confronted by two people in the lobby of the Manhattan hotel where the owners were meeting. Jones stopped to listen but said nothing, and the protesters were peacefully led away.