NFL may force players to stand for the National Anthem. So much for the land of the free.

JUST IN: In letter to NFL owners, Roger Goodell says: "We believe that everyone should stand for the National Anthem." pic.twitter.com/iveGOQgJnz

— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 10, 2017

Courtesy of WaPo:

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday that team owners will discuss a plan when they meet next week for dealing with the raging national controversy over players’ protests during the national anthem, adding that while the league respects the right of its players to express their opinions, it believes they should stand during the playing of the anthem. 

While stopping short of saying the NFL would require its players to stand, Goodell strongly suggested in a letter to NFL teams that at next week’s meeting the league would propose to owners that players be required to do so, while also providing a platform to recognize their community activism. 

“Like many of our fans, we believe that everyone should stand for the national anthem,” Goodell wrote to NFL club presidents and chief executives. “It is an important moment in our game. We want to honor our flag and our country, and our fans expect that of us. We also care deeply about our players and respect their opinions and concerns about critical social issues. The controversy over the anthem is a barrier to having honest conversations and making real progress on the underlying issues. We need to move past this controversy, and we want to do that together with our players.” 

Goodell said the league’s plan would include “an in-season platform to promote the work of players” on social issues, “and that will help to promote positive change in our country.”

Yes let's force citizens of a country which prides itself on its freedom to stand up to honor a song or risk losing their jobs.

I wonder when they will institute the Nazi salutes to greet the players taking the field?

Make no mistake this is Trump pushing his agenda onto these rich NFL team owners, by vilifying them and threatening their ability to make outrageous amounts of money.

But if they side with Trump against their own players, that will undoubtedly be a financially devastating mistake.

If I were a black football player in the NFL I would consider organizing a boycott and see how these team owners like trying to sell tickets to games that feature only white athletes.

Let's see how long this rule lasts then.