Akuperma. The players’ protest is not protected by 1st Amendment rights since they are on paid time. If their employer tells them to stand they must stand or he can fire them. Likewise, (unless it is buried somewhere in NFL contracts) the league can disqualify a team if they break rules. Apparently standing up for the anthem is not currently a rule, but the league has the right to include it as a rule. Make no mistake about it, the NFL is BIG BUSINESS, and these are business decisions, which is why liberal city teams (Seattle, New England, San Francisco, etc) support the players’ protests, while owners from less liberal cities (such as Jerry Jones on the Cowboys) are against it. They want to keep the financial support of their home towns.
Menu