Forcing players to stand for the national anthem has never really been an option for the NFL, but the league could still explore other means of preventing protests prior to the 2018 season.
According to ESPN’s Jim Trotter, the NFL is considering implementing a policy that would require players to remain in the locker room during the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” next season.
I continue to hear from knowledgeable people that the league plans to keep players in the locker room next season during the playing of the National Anthem. https://t.co/Cs3ZSqefsC
— Jim Trotter (@JimTrotter_NFL) January 18, 2018
That would be one way to stop players from kneeling, but it could be a terrible look for the NFL. Players have expressed themselves in a variety of ways during the national anthem, and many of them believe the freedom to do so is their constitutional right.
We know at least one owner wants the league to force players to stand during the national anthem, but that is unlikely to happen. While having players avoid the playing of the anthem altogether might prevent protests, it still seems like it would be a public relations nightmare for the league.
