Early on in the 2017 NFL football season, Dallas Cowboys Owner, Jerry Jones, stated that he would not tolerate any players who did not respect the flag during the National Anthem. Jones stated that anyone who did not stand during the National Anthem would not be allowed to play for the Dallas Cowboys. Jones stated that he believes that standing for the National Anthem should be a rulefor all players in the NFL. It was discovered that Jones had a phone conversation with Donald Trump who tried to convince Jones that there was a current rule in the NFL that already stated that it was required that players stand for the National Anthem. In reality, the rule states that all players must be on the sidelines during the National Anthem and should stand and face the flag. At the end of the rule, It states that all of those who fail to be on the sidelines during the start of the National Anthem will have to deal with a number of consequences, but nowhere does it state that those who fail to stand during the National Anthem will be fined or have to deal with consequences. Trump tried to further intensify the situation by stating this
comment: " Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ' Get that son of a b----off the field right now'. Out. He's fired. He's fired." This was another comment that sparked a lot of uproar mainly due to the disrespectful language that was used. If the NFL would have went through with the statements that Jerry Jones and Donald Trump tried to enforce, there would have been a lot of players who would have refused to participate in any sort of activities affiliated with the NFL. The NFL telling players that they are not allowed to stand during the National Anthem would show the lack of respect they would have for their own players and their beliefs. It works out better that not all are forced to stand and all are not forcedto kneel due to the fact that it would not make it seem that everyone was told to do one thing or the other. Giving the players this freedom really gives them the opportunity to express themselves and display what they feel strongly about. Players sticking with their values and beliefs will be one of the only ways that there will be equality across the league.
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Rod Thornton
What is really interesting is how later on in the season Jerry Jones actually ended up going down on the field to kneel WITH his players before the national anthem. Allegedly this was meant to symbolize unity between the entire organization, rather than to protest the anthem. Hopefully, this was the result of discussions between the players and Jones, and more discussions continue between players and their owners surrounding protests in all sports.
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