© David Kadlubowski/Th | 2020 May 5
What a difference three years makes.
After NFL players made it clear that they wanted the league to make a public statement condemning racism, Commissioner Roger Goodell did just that, in a video where he also encouraged players to speak out and peacefully protest.
We, the NFL, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of Black People. We, the NFL, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the NFL, believe Black Lives Matter. #InspireChange pic.twitter.com/ENWQP8A0sv
— NFL (@NFL) June 5, 2020
That caught the eye of President Donald Trump, who once referred to kneeling NFL players as “sons of bitches.” Trump responded to Goodell’s video on Sunday, tweeting: “Could it be even remotely possible that in Roger Goodell’s rather interesting statement of peace and reconciliation, he was intimating that it would now be O.K. for the players to KNEEL, or not to stand, for the National Anthem, thereby disrespecting our Country & our Flag?”
The tweet puts the pressure back on Goodell to clarify the league’s position on the issue of kneeling during the anthem, which is currently against league rules. Goodell’s comments seemed to indicate that will no longer be the case, and Trump is letting the commissioner know that he will not be in support of such a change.
In 2017 that might have been enough to keep the league silent, but the the murder of George Floyd and subsequent protests have moved the middle on this issue even in the notoriously conservative NFL. The players have made it clear they will no longer tolerate any stance that does not allow for peaceful protest, especially when it comes to issues of racial inequality and police brutality.
Drew Brees learned the hard way last week, when he was torched by teammates, peers and athletes of other sports for saying that kneeling was disrespectful to the flag. The backlash led him to issue numerous apologies, including a public statement where he backed away from Trump’s support.