Atlanta Falcons: NFL Owners Institute New Anthem Protest Policy
By Kit Anderson
The Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank is one of several NFL owners who has been supportive of President Donald Trump. Making it unsurprising Blank and the rest of NFL owners met in Atlanta to address the hottest topic in the NFL.
Protests rarely affected the Atlanta Falcons. Aside from one week of protest after Donald Trump’s controversial statements, the Falcons have stayed away from the hottest topic of the 2017 season.
The owners met in Atlanta this week to decide how they will address the issue of players protesting. Today’s resolution was that teams will fine players and the League will fine teams for any protests.
They will allow the players the option to stay in the locker room if they want to protest the anthem without protesting. It is a solution that has the potential the to make the problem bigger and more magnified in the 2018 season.
Giving the players the option to stay in the locker room will open up another form of protests if players choose to stay in their locker rooms.
This move could encourage players to take a stand against the League and give even more national attention to players who don’t come out of the locker room.
Keeping players in the locker room for the anthem or choosing to attempt to address the problem by handing out penalties to offenders were other ways the owners had discussed addressing the problem.
Gladly the Falcons are unlikely to face many issues with the anthem if 2017. It will keep them out of the political debate. A debate that has grown very toxic for anyone who is involved.
This is a move that could further separate owners and their players in my opinion. It has been a divisive issue for both sides. An issue the League wishes would disappear so they could again focus on football.