Trump slams NFL protests, says league has ‘no leadership’
President Donald Trump on Monday continued to slam NFL players protesting the national anthem, while criticizing the league’s leadership.
“Two dozen NFL players continue to kneel during the National Anthem, showing total disrespect to our Flag & Country. No leadership in NFL!” Trump said in a tweet.
According to Sports Illustrated, at least six players on the San Francisco 49ers and one member of the New York Giants kneeled during the “Star Spangled Banner,” while about eight players on the Seattle Seahawks sat during the playing of the anthem on Sunday.
The protests during Week 7 come after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said during a press conference last week that “everyone should stand” for the patriotic song.
“That’s an important part of our policy. It’s an important part of our game that we all take great pride in. And it’s also important to us to honor our flag and our country,” Goodell told reporters, though he added that the league has no plans to force players into standing for the anthem.
The polarization of the protests, which were started last year by former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick over racial injustice in the U.S., have begun to have an impact on Goodell’s future with the NFL. According to a report by ESPN, citing league sources, the controversy has delayed the finalization of his contract. At the owners meeting in New York last week, the NFL’s compensation committee spent about 20 minutes discussing the extension, though the report said Goodell’s deal is imminent.