Common Says Jerry Jones Has Slave Owner Mentality

Hip-hop artist Common responded to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones Thursday after the football tycoon said Sunday if any of his players disrespect the flag, they would not be allowed to play.

Last NFL season, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the pre-game National Anthem. Kaepernick said he did so to protest the oppression of black people and people of color.

Jones told ESPN that the flag policy has been in effect since last season when players across the NFL began kneeling during the national anthem, following Kaepernick's example.

Speaking to TMZ Sports, hip-hop artist and actor Common addressed Jones’ statements.

“It’s an owner mentality. Like a slave owner mentality, to be honest,” he said. “Like, ‘You gonna do what I say on this.’ Other people choosing to put their hands over their heart, what makes that gesture better than somebody else who might be praying during the national anthem?”

“Or if somebody says, ‘I’m kneeling for what I believe in,’ then they should be able to do that because that’s what this country is about,” he added.

Jones said the NFL’s operations manual left the issue of standing for the national anthem ambiguous.

“The game ops manual has an ambiguity being used for those who don’t want to enforce it— the word ‘should’ stand for anthem is their ambiguity— but how can it be ambiguous when it cites the potential penalties of fines, suspension or loss of draft picks for failing to adhere?” Jones asked.

A section of the NFL operations manual titled “National Anthem” addresses the league’s policies on the national anthem. Some requirements are that it must be played before every NFL game, all players must be on the sidelines during the anthem and they should all face the flag with helmets in their left hand. The manual also states if players are not on the field for the anthem, they could be subject to various forms of discipline, such as “fines, suspensions, and/or the forfeiture of draft choices.”

These statements from Jones come the month after he joined his team in taking a knee during the national anthem prior to the Cowboys playing against the Arizona Cardinals last week.