A group of NFL players met with commissioner Roger Goodell and several team owners on Tuesday to discuss the issues surrounding national anthem protests, and it is unclear exactly how much progress was made.
Shortly after the meeting ended, the NFL and NFLPA released a joint statement that did not say a whole lot but claimed the meeting was “productive.”
New from the NFL and NFLPA pic.twitter.com/lMQMhlDGAB
— Brian McCarthy (@NFLprguy) October 17, 2017
ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported earlier in the day that players wanted to move past the national anthem discussion so they could explore specific ways in which the league and team owners can help them make an impact in the community. One source told Graziano that the best outcome from the meeting would be for the NFL and its owners to “give players a reason NOT to kneel.”
While there have been reports that the NFL is so concerned about losing fans that a rule could be implemented banning national anthem protests, that outcome seems highly unlikely. Even if Jerry Jones essentially told Dallas Cowboys players they cannot kneel, making a league-wide rule would be a public relations nightmare and cause an even bigger divide.
