NFL Owners Considering Rule Requiring Players To Stand During National Anthem

As players continue to kneel or sit in symbolic protest during the national anthem on game days, NFL owners will deliberate a policy that would make it mandatory for players to stand, according to reports Tuesday.

Team owners will discuss the possibility of the rule change during a meeting next week, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported. The league’s current policy requires players to "stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their left hand and refrain from talking." However, it doesn't penalize players who kneel in protest.

The league states that players should stand during the national anthem and "honor the flag and the country," according to a letter sent to team presidents and chief executives by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Tuesday afternoon.

"We live in a country that can feel very divided. Sports, and especially the NFL, brings people together and lets them set aside those divisions, at least for a few hours," the letter read. "The current dispute over the National Anthem is threatening to erode the unifying power of our game, and is now dividing us, and our players, from many fans across the country.

"Like many of our fans, we believe that everyone should stand for the National Anthem. It is an important moment in our game," the letter continued. "We want to honor our flag and our country, and our fans expect that of us. We also care deeply about our players and respect their opinions and concerns about critical social issues. The controversy over the Anthem is a barrier to having honest conversations and making real progress on the underlying issues. We need to move past this controversy, and we want to do that together with our players.

"Building on many discussions with clubs and players, we have worked to develop a plan that we will review with you at next week’s League meeting."

The letter comes on the heels of widespread symbolic protests from NFL players during the in-game anthem as players have opted to kneel, sit or lock arms with teammates.

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick first sat last year during the national anthem in protest of racial inequality and injustice against people of color in America. Kaepernick has been unable to find a team since he declared free agency in 2016.

An uptick of player protests comes after President Donald Trump berated those who protested the anthem. Trump suggested that team owners fire players who sat or took a knee last month during a rally in Alabama.

The president took to Twitter Tuesday and questioned the NFL’s tax breaks, suggesting laws should be changed as players protested.

"Why is the NFL getting massive tax breaks while at the same time disrespecting our Anthem, Flag and Country? Change tax law!," Trump wrote.

Vice President Mike Pence exited Sunday’s game between the Indianapolis Colts and San Francisco 49ers after players protested during the anthem, which Trump took credit for.

"I asked @VP Pence to leave stadium if any players kneeled, disrespecting our country. I am proud of him and @SecondLady Karen," he tweeted.