Image via Twitter
The NFL has absolutely no plans to require players to stand for the National Anthem, a spokesman said on Friday.
According to NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart, Commissioner Roger Goodell has a plan that he will present to team owners at a meeting next week "about how to use our platform to both raise awareness and make progress on issues of social justice and equality in this country.”
The plan does not include any change of policy, he said.
“[Goodell] has a plan that he is going to present to owners about how to use our platform to both raise awareness and make progress on issues of social justice and equality in this country,” Lockhart said on a conference call.
“What we don’t have is a proposal that changes our policy; we don’t have something that mandates anything. That’s clear,” he continued. “If that was the case I doubt the head of the NFLPA would have put a joint statement out with us.”
The head of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), DeMaurice Smith, will also be in attendance at the meeting, scheduled for Oct. 17-18 in New York.
The NFL and the NFLPA issued a joint statement on Wednesday indicating that “there has been no change in the current policy regarding the anthem.”
The statement also says that both the league and the union believe “everyone who is part of our NFL community has a tremendous respect for our country, our flag, our anthem and our military, and we are coming together to deal with these issues in a civil and constructive way.”
It has been reported that the NFL team owners will decide next week whether it is within teams’ rights to compel players to stand for the anthem.
Lockhart noted that such reports are merely speculation.
“Those who are reporting it as fact are reporting it incorrectly,” he said.
Thank you for supporting MRCTV! As a tax-deductible, charitable organization, we rely on the support of our readers to keep us running! Keep MRCTV going with your gift here!