NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sent a letter to all 32 teams on Tuesday urging them to find a way to move past the controversy surrounding the national anthem, but the league has not suggested to teams that they force players to stand — at least yet.
Shortly before word of Goodell’s letter spread, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that owners will consider a rule change that would ban players from kneeling during the anthem.
While Adrian Peterson trade came down, NFL said owners will consider a rule change that would require players to stand for national anthem.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 10, 2017
On Tuesday afternoon, Albert Breer of The MMQB said he was told by a source that teams will meet next week to discuss the issues surrounding the anthem, but no proposal has been made regarding teams forcing players to stand.
There is NO proposal on the books right now to force players to stand for the anthem, I'm told. NFL will discuss anthem in NYC next week.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) October 10, 2017
The NFL would risk creating a public relations nightmare if it forced players to stand rather than kneeling to protest social injustice. That said, Goodell made it clear in his letter that it is the view of the league that everyone should stand and respect the flag.
NFL owners are worried that fans will bail on football if national anthem protests continue, so they’re trying to find a way to give the players a voice without involving the anthem. That could prove to be easier said than done, but I think we can all agree that the message of anthem protests has been lost. Players who kneel never intended for their actions to be interpreted as disrespect for the American flag or the military. Now, that’s all people want to talk about.
