NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was part of a meeting held with NFL players discussing social issues, including the league’s protest of the national anthem.
Tuesday was a strange day for the NFL. For starters, there was the ongoing saga surrounding Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott. But perhaps the most important part of the NFL’s day was actually at the league office, not in a courtroom.
Commissioner Roger Goodell, eleven league owners and a handful of active NFL players met in New York City to discuss the league aiding players in social justice.
Both sides seemed to come away from the meeting with positive messages. The executives of a league that has been wrapped up in protest of social injustice are now looking to get more involved.
However, Commissioner Goodell and players that attended the meeting were clear to point out that the national anthem was not a big talking point. According to ABC, Eagles defensive back Malcolm Jenkins, a prominent voice in these protests, said, “very little of the meeting was about the actual anthem. We were really more talking about solutions and how we get the results that we want to get.”
Since the meeting, the NFL’s commissioner has been asked repeatedly about the anthem. When the president is tweeting about an issue, it’s going to be a topic of conversation. Donald Trump again criticized the NFL in a tweet Wednesday morning.
The NFL has decided that it will not force players to stand for the playing of our National Anthem. Total disrespect for our great country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2017
Goodell was asked about the tweet at a press conference on Wednesday and insisted that the NFL will not force players to stand. But he did say they wanted players to: “We believe everyone should stand for the national anthem. That’s an important part of our policy.”
Adding that the NFL will look to get the number of protests occurring down to zero. And he spoke positively of the players, saying “we need to make real differences in our community. That’s really what’s going to ultimately be the important aspect.”
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Anthem protests have been the main spotlight of the NFL season, much to the commissioner and president’s dismay. But, they have dwindled in the past few weeks. Goodell and the league are hoping this meeting can bring the spotlight back to the product on the field.