The National Football League will not punish players for kneeling during the national anthem for the time being, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday after a meeting between officials and team owners in New York.
“We spent today talking about the issues that our players have been trying to bring attention to. About issues in our communities to make our communities better,” Goodell said at a news conference after the meeting.
Officials from the NFL, the NFL Player’s Association, 11 team owners, and 13 NFL players who have protested during the anthem were included in the meeting.
“Today’s discussion with our players was very productive and very important. It reflected our commitment to work together with our players on issues of social justice,” Goodell added.
Although Goodell issued a memo last week stating the NFL prefers players to stand for the national anthem, it will not be required that players stand during the anthem as some have demanded.
Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick spearheaded the kneeling demonstrations last season during the national anthem to protest the treatment of African American and minorities in the U.S. and police brutality. A number of players followed suit.
The protests once again became a big story this season after President Trump said last month that football players who take a knee during the national anthem should be fired. A large number of demonstrations followed.
Goodell said the league will continue to meet with players and will share more information with reporters once the two-day meeting finishes on Wednesday.
