NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell just pulled a fast one on President Trump and millions of NFL fans across the nation.
Thanks to a letter Goodell wrote to players urging them to stand for the National Anthem, many news outlets had been declaring a huge win for Trump on the protest debate. But when the League got wind that they had lost to Trump, they quickly changed their tune.
Here is what set everything in motion and made fans think President Trump won the argument and made NFL players think twice about kneeling during the National Anthem.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement yesterday on the national anthem kneeling controversy. pic.twitter.com/jREYT2do27
— Fox News (@FoxNews) October 11, 2017
It is about time that Roger Goodell of the NFL is finally demanding that all players STAND for our great National Anthem-RESPECT OUR COUNTRY
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2017
The NFL doesn’t like losing to anyone and will fight to the death to win the optics war. But so will President Trump. The players do not realize they are on the wrong side of this conversation. You can’t fight patriotism in America and when you do, there will be blowback.
The League tried to correct the record in a statement: “Commentary this morning about the Commissioner’s position on the Anthem is not accurate. As we said yesterday, there will be a discussion of these issues at the owners meeting next week.”
NFL and NFLPA announce no changes to national anthem policy, players can remain kneeling https://t.co/bFDCcF0psf pic.twitter.com/EEzdxJ4AYx
— Bleacher Report NFL (@BR_NFL) October 11, 2017
Some folks on Twitter were quick to respond to the NFL’s clarification:
cc: @realDonaldTrump you lost, AGAIN!!#LoserInChief
— MichelleDenise (@deniseMdeniseM) October 12, 2017
Not really the NFL is suffering bigly, Hollywood is collapsing as we speak and MSM like Time magazine are making cuts from low sales.
— President Trump 🇺🇸 (@TheFallenTitan) October 12, 2017
We never said they had to stand, we said we didn’t have to watch. #BoycottNFL #BoycottheNFL #NFLBoycott
— Elizabeth Kraus (@beinpulse) October 12, 2017
Too bad, will still not watch then.
— Andrew Carson (@donesonz) October 12, 2017
This is asinine. Private employers have every right to dictate rules for employee behavior on the clock. It’s why they’re called BOSSES.
— Moribito_Blues (@MoribitoBlues) October 12, 2017
NFL doubling down on stupid!
— All American Dad (@allamericancoll) October 12, 2017
The “kneeling” issue has now devolved into a theater of the absurd. My guess is that 75% of those players who decided to kneel this past Sunday don’t even know why they did it. “Solidarity” with their fellow players, hate for Mr. Trump, some vague reference to racism – all of these excuses have added to the sideshow and the ramping up of partisan politics.
My advice to you, the reader: Keep doing what you were doing, and by that I mean boycotting these antics. These players will find out who’s the real winner quick enough.
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