How Much Longer until the NFL no longer does the national anthem?

Still can't believe that you get fined for altering the uniform in any way for any reason if Goodell doesn't want you to, but there's no fine for not respecting the flag or the national anthem. If first amendment rights allow the players to express themselves in relation to the flag, shouldn't it also apply to the uniform? At least in a a discrete way?
Or maybe the NFL uniform is a more important symbol than the flag and the national anthem...

(By the way, I'm with Giantone on the c... word. Never heard it used except as an incredible insult. As Leslie Nielsen knows, however, "beaver" is all right ;-)

THINK ABOUT THIS!! IF a OWNER of a NFL team instructed his players to follow his view and they must KNEEL during anthem or get fired..do you think any players would stand? My point is Im not sure when it comes to GOD and Country that any NFL owner should tell his players what to do period..These are MULTI RICH WHITE MEN telling mostly BLACK players what to do...sounds familiar?? I am sick over all this and truly in my heart do not think these protest are going to change anything other than drive fans away from the sport..If all of this is over hatred towards Trump than use your energy to make damn sure next election EVERYBODY VOTES! I have decided not to watch the start of game and not get caught up in the drama..ask yourself this ..rather than to put the cameras on players protesting WHY not capture VETS and Fire fighters etc.. STANDING in HONOR of THE USA. I will tell you the media loves negative bad stuff..they would rather film a horrific event than prevent it.. Hopefully the NFL will wake up and realize they are hurting the sport.. There are a lot better ways to create change than this. all they are doing is driving away the audience. Just my take guys..PEACE

I don't believe that any NFL owner owner can fire a player over the national anthem. It was Skip Bayliss or one of those guys who was talking about Jerry Jones' threats, and what it came down to is that they can only punish for things that are clear NFL rule violations. The NFL rules only state that the player must be technically on the field (that's why the steelers being in the tunnel obeyed the rule). It does not state that the player must stand.

So he said that if Jones fired someone over it, at a minimum you'd have the NFLPA get involved, probably a discrimination lawsuit, possible human rights violation (rights to peaceful protest/ free speech, etc?), and at worst case scenario Jerry could end up like Donald Sterling. He concluded by saying that there is a reason that no NFL owner has fired a player over the protest so far, because they know that they can't legally do it.

Just when this issue was losing steam Trump opens his fat trap and sends it into a spiral. So tired of it. Stand, kneel, fuck it lay down if you want. Who cares.

Speaking for my self I am having a hard time trying to figure out what the national anthem has to do with what anyone is protesting. To be honest the things that make the US a great place to live is the freedoms we have. I was born and raised in Miami Florida, my family came from Nicaragua and Cuba. I also have Native American in my family. My grandfather (a Cuban) fought for this country. My father was able to make a life for himself and our family because of the opportunities that this country has. That is why I stand for the flag. With that said I am not offended by people protesting in this peaceful manner, I just don't get why the anthem. There is injustice in this country and the world. The worlds history is stained with blood of the conquered and oppressed, but it is up to us as humans to stop and come together. I stand because I feel like standing I say the words because the colonist took the risk to stand up to tyranny and through all the death rose a country. This country is not perfect but it is up to us to teach our children about unity. Thanks for letting me speak guys HTTR


Good to see a fellow Nicaraguan (My mom is from there) on the warpath.

Great post too. I agree with everything you said.

I don't believe that any NFL owner owner can fire a player over the national anthem. It was Skip Bayliss or one of those guys who was talking about Jerry Jones' threats, and what it came down to is that they can only punish for things that are clear NFL rule violations. The NFL rules only state that the player must be technically on the field (that's why the steelers being in the tunnel obeyed the rule). It does not state that the player must stand.

So he said that if Jones fired someone over it, at a minimum you'd have the NFLPA get involved, probably a discrimination lawsuit, possible human rights violation (rights to peaceful protest/ free speech, etc?), and at worst case scenario Jerry could end up like Donald Sterling. He concluded by saying that there is a reason that no NFL owner has fired a player over the protest so far, because they know that they can't legally do it.

Or, you just cut the player and say it's for football reasons, and nobody bats an eye. That's how I would do it. But let's not pretend that's going to happen anyways, most players on the 53 earned that spot, and only the bottom 10 or so are in danger of being cut for any reason, and that's typically because they're not good enough anyways, or the team needs a roster spot for another player.

Just when this issue was losing steam Drumpf opens his fat trap and sends it into a spiral. So tired of it. Stand, kneel, fuck it lay down if you want. Who cares.

This. I see this as a protest of Trump more than anything. I'm sorry his little vagina is bruised over this. God, he's such a pussy.

I think if simply a team would have signed Kap in the offseason we wouldn't be here, but Trump statement was so dumb. Now Im thinking it was planned out. Regardless the President shouldn't be calling anyone who peaceful protest an SOB.

Or, you just cut the player and say it's for football reasons, and nobody bats an eye. That's how I would do it. But let's not pretend that's going to happen anyways, most players on the 53 earned that spot, and only the bottom 10 or so are in danger of being cut for any reason, and that's typically because they're not good enough anyways, or the team needs a roster spot for another player.

But you bring up a good point. Only the bottom 10 or so could get cut at any time, and you could then claim it was "football reasons" or whatever and maybe they wouldn't push the issue. You bet your ass though people would see right through "football reasons" if Prescott kneeled on Sunday primetime, and then Monday was released by the cowboys. Even Jerry is not that stupid. He's calling the players bluffs and hoping that they won't kneel, because if they do, he is smart enough to realize that he can't do anything about it. The best thing the owners can do, is stay out of the protests until it all calms down.

Just when this issue was losing steam Trump opens his fat trap and sends it into a spiral. So tired of it. Stand, kneel, fuck it lay down if you want. Who cares.

I care but I understand also.Like you as I said in my first post on this thread kneel ,sit,raise a fist fine it's your right and their's but trump screwed it up by even opening his mouth.
I have two son in laws both in the service Army /Marines both deployed,one is in Baghdad and the other is in his third tour in Afghanistan.Marine a life long Redskin fan and the other a Rams fan.I see what they and their families endure and I get pissed off but both of those men would be the first to tell you that this is why they are there,so we at home can be safe and even protest if we need/or want too.

This. I see this as a protest of Trump more than anything. I'm sorry his little vagina is bruised over this. God, he's such a pussy.

Agree and thank you.