Goodell met with players, owners on anthem issue
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell held a round-table meeting with roughly 25 owners, league executives and players Tuesday night to discuss the national-anthem demonstrations.
New York Giants linebacker Jonathan Casillas said the summit at the league’s headquarters in New York lasted roughly two hours. Several of the most prominent owners, including John Mara of the Giants, Robert Kraft of the Patriots and Art Rooney II of the Steelers, attended, as did NFL executive vice president Troy Vincentand eight players from five teams.
Casillas said the group talked about what to do to move forward and how to approach the “whole kneeling situation.”
“It was a whole bunch of opinions shared,” Casillas said. “There was nothing we decided we’re going to do collectively. I think it was a very conducive meeting.”
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the gathering was among many conversations this week within the NFL.
“The commissioner believed with all the owners here for committee meetings, it was important to bring in some players and hear directly from them,” McCarthy said in responding to an email. “While the conversations will remain private, they were very informative and instructive.”
New England safety Devin McCourty and special-teams captain Matt Slater joined Kraft for the meeting with Goodell. McCourty said his biggest takeaway was “just understanding.”
“From both sides,” McCourty said. “I think that players saw that when owners came out with different statements on Sunday. I think the biggest thing is as players, we have to keep in the forefront what we want to get (awareness for): the inequality, the injustice. I think that’s what’s important.
“I think we’ve gotta make sure this whole thing doesn’t turn into the NFL versus Donald Trump,” he said. “As players ... we have an agenda of what we think can be done better. We’re trying to use our platform. We have to stick to that.
“It’s not really this war of whether does the NFL have our back or let’s battle Trump. But I do think (the owners) are willing to help us get some of these things going. Hopefully, that is what happens out of all of this.”
Casillas said the commissioner did not say a lot in the meeting, letting the owners and players talk. He said it was clear to all parties that kneeling during the national anthem is not conveying the message the players want of the need for social change.
“We’re at a trying time right now, with all the racial situations: the kneeling, the (perception of ) disrespecting of the flag, and also fans pulling away from the greatest professional sports league in the country,” Casillas said. “And that’s being considered. It’s being felt by owners and players. It’s something ... we have to address.
“Last weekend was a tough weekend. Everybody was paying attention, I’m pretty sure this weekend coming up everybody is going to be watching the beginning of the game . ... ”
Casillas and several Giants leaders met with Mara on Wednesday. The co-owner told them that the team preferred the players stand during the anthem, but if they felt a need to kneel, they were free to do it, and the team would support them.
Former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick had been the focal point of the anthem demonstrations since he began kneeling more than a year ago. He was released and is no longer on a roster.
Casillas does not think Kaepernick will play in the league again. He also said Kaepernick deserves to be on a roster.
Seattle’s Russell Wilson is a quarterback with no worries about job security. He’s encouraged by meetings such as the one Goodell held Tuesday.
“This is a real situation. This is my kids, your kids, this is our lives, this is everybody’s situation,” Wilson said. “It’s not something we can take lightly or ignore or brush to the side. It’s something we have to address, and I don’t fear addressing it because I believe in it.”
Garrett practices: Cleveland rookie defensive end Myles Garrett is back on the practice field. The top overall pick in this year’s draft returned Thursday after being sidelined with a high right ankle sprain. Garrett has missed the Browns’ first three games — all losses — but he has been cleared to practice, and there’s a strong chance he’ll make his NFL debut Sunday against the Bengals.
Briefly: Minnesota quarterback Sam Bradford was ruled out of Sunday’s game against Detroit because of lingering soreness in his left knee, meaning Case Keenum will make his third straight start . ... Washington tight end Jordan Reed expects to play Monday night against unbeaten Kansas City. Reed missed Sunday’s victory over the Raiders with a chest/ rib injury . ... New Orleans placed fullback John Kuhn on injured reserve, ending his season.