It seems highly unlikely that the NFL will implement a ban on national anthem protests in 2018, but that does not mean the league will stop individual teams from telling their players not to take part in the demonstrations.
Mark Maske of the Washington Post reports that the NFL is considering a “compromise” with the polarizing topic of national anthem protests that would allow each team to decide whether or not they want to force their players to stand. No final determination has been made, however, and owners are expected to discuss the topic again at meetings later this month.
Another option, according to Maske’s sources, would be a league-wide policy that required players to stand for the anthem if they were on the sideline but gave them the option to remain in the locker room during “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The NFL could also go back to the way things were before 2009, when all players remained in the locker room during the anthem anyway.
“My guess is they will leave it up to the teams,” one high-ranking team official told Maske.
The current policy requires players to be on the sideline for the anthem but only encourages standing. Some owners, like Bob McNair with the Houston Texas, have made it clear that they would prefer if players stood, and that is a stance that McNair reiterated recently. We have also seen situations where it seems like certain teams are steering away from signing players because of their feelings on anthem protests.
Allowing individual teams to decide whether or not they will require players to stand is sure to create controversy, though it may be the best way for Roger Goodell to remain as neutral as possible.
