NFL owners approved new national anthem guidelines allowing individual teams to set their own player and personnel policies relating to the anthem.
The new policy eliminates the current stipulation that players and team personnel be present during the performance and will let players remain in the locker room while the anthem is being played if their team deems it appropriate.
The league will fine teams whose players choose to be on the field and do not stand while the anthem is being played. The changes allow provisions for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to bring “appropriate discipline” on those individuals.
“This season, all league and team personnel shall stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem,” Goodell wrote in a Wednesday accompanying the rule change.”Personnel who chose 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.”
Statement from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell pic.twitter.com/1Vn7orTo1R
— NFL (@NFL) May 23, 2018
The issue was thrust into the national spotlight after former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem in Sept. 2016 to protest wrongdoings against minorities. His action drew heavy criticism but also led to players across the league joining him in protest.
“The efforts by many of our players sparked awareness and action around issues of social justice that must be addressed,” Goodell wrote in the statement Wednesday. “The platform that we have created together is certainly unique in professional sports and quite likely in American business. We are honored to work with our players to drive progress.”
“It was unfortunate that on-field protests created a false perception among many that thousands of NFL players were unpatriotic. This is not and was never the case.”
The new guidelines will go into effect during the upcoming season.
