NFL Requires Players To Stand For The Flag!
New Policy Enforces ‘Proper Respect’
#OhBoy! Okay, so I’m not one who pays any sort of attention to sports…unless it somehow ties into hot topics. The National Football League (NFL) has made headlines for a variety of reasons over the last few years, including Quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, who started a trend among Athletes by taking a knee during the National Anthem. Kaepernick taking a knee started a media frenzy regarding respect for the flag and the unfair treatment of colored Americans. The country was seemingly divided over which was the correct decision: Standing for the flag to honor veterans or kneeling to honor one’s freedom from said veterans. It turns out, the NFL players will no longer have to make a choice: They are being forced to stand.
According to Sports Illustrated, NFL owners have voted on a resolution for said National Anthem controversy. All players on the field must stand, but there is an option for players to wait in the locker room until the Anthem in over. If players standing on the field are not ‘respectful’, they will be fined. The new policy reads:
"All team and league personnel on the field shall stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem. The Game Operations Manual will be revised to remove the requirement that all players be on the field for the Anthem. Personnel who choose not to stand for the Anthem may stay in the locker room or in a similar location off the field until after the Anthem has been performed."
I think a smart decision would’ve been to have added that no matter what – standing, kneeling, sitting, smoking a cigarette, standing like a flamingo, jeez – anything – was still acceptable and deemed respecting the flag during the National Anthem. But, what do I know? I’m anticipating to see how this will play out for the future of NFL games in the upcoming season. Only time will tell.
Are you pleased with the end result of the NFL National Anthem protests?
This post is the opinion of this contributing writer to Instinct Magazine. Opinion pieces do not always reflect the stance of the magazine or the other contributing writers.
