NFL owners reportedly may draft a rule that requires players to stand for the national anthem.
According to multiple sources, the NFL owners are considering a rule change that requires players to stand for the national anthem. The anthem issue has dominated headlines over the last few weeks in sports. So much so that the White House has chimed in on multiple occasions, along with many other celebrities.
BREAKING: NFL owners to consider rule change that would require players to stand for national anthem - Dow Jones https://t.co/pPRWm3wKGl
— CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) October 10, 2017
Although the NFL owners have been rather supportive of their players over the course of the last few weeks, this rule change signifies that they are beginning to become fed up with the issue. The Star Spangled Banner issue had, for the most part, disappeared until last month. The anthem protests began with former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Since then, it was President Donald Trump’s comments about those who protest that revamped the issue.
Throughout the last few weeks, the NFL has seen a series of different protest methods. Presumably, the rule change would only address those who kneel or sit during the anthem. Despite a majority of the NFL locking arms in unity or standing, it’s the few who continue to kneel dominating headlines. The saga began to spill into Week 7 when Jerry Jones made a harsh statement regarding the protests.
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All in all, the rule change may seem a bit unorthodox. However, the NBA already has a rule in place requiring players to stand and that may now bleed over into the NFL. Not much is known about the new proposed rule change, but the owners will reportedly discuss it during next week’s meetings. In the end, a rule change would likely only make things worse, as opposed to pushing the issue by the wayside. Hopefully for NFL fans, this issue doesn’t drag on as long as Deflategate. But, unfortunately it’s certainly looking as if it will.