Professional football “is officially dead” before the season has begun, according to Eric Trump.
“Football is officially dead — so much for ‘America’s sport.’ Goodbye NFL… I’m gone,” the president’s son tweeted Monday in response to a Washington Examiner story titled “Dallas Cowboys player says officials have given team ‘green light’ to protest national anthem.”
Football is officially dead — so much for “America’s sport.” Goodbye NFL… I’m gone. https://t.co/FSJeyvsql3
— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) September 8, 2020
Players for the Cowboys will have the option to protest during the national anthem, including kneeling, according to one of its players.
“We definitely [have] the green light on all that but also just trying to find something that’s going to make a boom,” defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford told reporters. “It’s not just going to be something that people look at it one time and kind of swipe by it. They’re like, ‘Oh, that’s great. The Cowboys did that,’ and swipe by it.”
The NFL has doubled down on its efforts in supporting Black Lives Matter and calling for an end to police brutality and racism this summer.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said last week that the league will “not relent” in its work and announced that social justice messages will be featured on end lines of football fields this season.
“Confronting recent systemic racism with tangible and productive steps is absolutely essential … We will redouble our efforts to be catalysts for the urgent and sustainable change that our society and communities so desperately need,” Goodell said.
President Trump has repeatedly denounced players kneeling for the anthem ahead of games, calling the act “disgraceful.”
“Anytime I witness a player kneeling during the national anthem, a sign of great disrespect for our country and our flag, the game is over for me!” Trump said this summer.
The NFL 2020 season kicks off on Thursday.
