Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the NFL got it wrong. This isn’t about political views. The NFL just caved on an issue that has absolutely nothing to do with football and attended to pass it of as a compromise.  If the league handled this during last season when the issue first presented itself as a minor off the field issue, it would never have become a massive political issue. By season’s end the entire protest’s message was lost and all anyone could focus on was if the players’ methods were appropriate.  The NFL should be ashamed for not standing up for the players who have literally given everything to make the sport a billion dollar business.

Here is the official league policy straight from Roger Goodell.

What exactly did the league compromise by agreeing to fine any player that chooses to speak out against real social issues prior to games? I don’t see anything other than a bunch of scared billionaire owners.  Owners showed their support for their players the day after Donald Trump called them SOBS, clearly as a PR stunt and then said that’s enough. Did support of the players, the ones who put money in owners’ pockets, have an expiration date?  Imagine this much outrage over what the players are trying to bring awareness to. Maybe this country could accomplish something positive.  These are the same owners who admitted that Colin Kaepernick was a starter quality player yet he was not signed by a single team.  Did owners just expect players to abandon issues that affect millions and millions of Americans every single day?

In a statement by the players association they are claiming the league did not even consult them. Explain how a compromise was formed if one party was not even in the room.

The players are using their platform that they earned for issues they believe in and owners have stripped them of that.

Some owners have spoken up about the new league policy.  New York Jets chairman Christopher Johnson stated that he will pay any player’s anthem-related fine and stands with his players.  You know we are living in an alternate universe when the Jets are the team other teams should aspire to be.  San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York says that he will close concession stands while the anthem is played, saying the team should not profit during the national anthem if players are being asked to “respect the anthem”.  York abstained from voting for the new policy.

Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins who has been one of the most vocal players about social injustice released a statement.

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