NFL anthem policy could trigger new round of protests: Joe Theismann
Former NFL quarterback Joe Theismann on President Trump canceling the Philadelphia Eagles visit to the White House, the fallout for the NFL from the national anthem protests and the rising popularity of soccer in the U.S.
NFL great Joe Theismann said on Monday the National Football League’s new kneeling rule could backfire on team owners in a big way next season.
NFL owners in May approved a new policy that allows players to stay in the locker room during the national anthem but requires them to stand if they decide to come onto the field.
“I’ve learned one thing -- if you tell the National Football League players that they have to do something -- there’s a good chance that some of them are not going to cooperate,” Theismann told FOX Business’ Stuart Varney on “Varney & Co.” “I feel bad about the fact that if one decides to kneel -- then this whole thing rears its ugly head again.”
NFL free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick sparked the debate during the 2016 season while playing for the San Francisco 49ers when he refused to stand for the national anthem to protest social injustice.
In Theismann’s opinion, the NFL can do a better job reporting on things being done to address these issues after they have been raised.