Stephen A. Smith calls out NFL sponsored patriotism in light of Jerry Jones comments (Video)

Jerry Jones had some harsh words for those protesting the national anthem, but ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith had a rather sharp retort to his comments.

The Cowboys owner called the protests “disappointing” while praising his team for not taking part.

That spurred Smith into action on Wednesday’s edition of First Take, in which he relayed a few tidbits he’d received from a friend about the NFL’s patriotism initiative.

“Until 2009, no NFL player stood for the national anthem because players actually stayed in the locker room as the Anthem played,” Smith said. “The players were moved to the field during the national anthem because it was seen as a marketing strategy to make the athletes look more patriotic. The United States Department of Defense paid the National Football League $5.4 million between 2011 and and 2014, and the National Guard $6.7 million between 2013 and 2015 to stage on-field patriotic ceremonies as part of military recruitment budget-line items.”

It’s no wonder that Goodell has spoken about how important patriotism is to the NFL. The league even has a financial stake in it.

H/T The Big Lead