NFL Free Agents, Take Heed of Owners Who Didn’t Condemn Trump’s Statement
Prior to doing an about-face, a member of the Dallas Cowboys football team stated that team owner/general manager Jerry Jones told the team that if anyone protested the anthem they would be on his sh*t list according to justice writer Shaun King of the New York Daily News.
The alleged comments came after hundreds of NFL players protested the national anthem last weekend to protest President Donald Trump’s comments on former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and other NFL stars who have chosen to kneel instead of stand during the “Star-Spangled Banner” to protest systemic racism and police brutality.
At a rally in Huntsville, Ala., President Trump stated, “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when someone disrespects our flag, you’d say, ‘Get that (SOB) off the field right now. Out! He’s fired.’”
In Jones’ defense, he did kneel and lock arms with his players before the national anthem Monday night.
But wouldn’t it be great if future NFL free agents put owners and teams on their sh*t list and refuse to sign with them if the owner does not support their First Amendment rights to peacefully protest, while seemingly supporting Trump’s divisive, immature and ignorant rants.
According to a 2016 Huffington Post article, African-Americans make up 70 percent of all NFL players.
With those numbers, an NFL owner would be hard pressed to win without the services of Black players.
Therefore, if owners choose to support Trump’s racist views and not his players who are mostly Black, then players should race to sign with any other team in which the owner supports equality and not our racist president.
According to the Chicago Tribune, the owners of the Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns made statements condemning Trump’s comments or made some sort of gesture to show support for their minority team members.
Additionally, owners of the Houston Texans and New Orleans Saints voiced their displeasure with Trump’s negative comments about the NFL and its players.
The Chicago Tribune also reported that the owners of the Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants, Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers issued statements against Trump’s comments as well.
In 2016, seven NFL owners made $1 million donations to the Trump presidential campaign.
San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York said, “The callous and offensive comments made by the president are contradictory to what this great country stands for. Our players have exercised their rights as United States citizens in order to spark conversation and action to address social injustice. We will continue to support them in their peaceful pursuit of positive change in our country and around the world.”
Meanwhile on the “former plantation” better known as Valley Ranch (Dallas Cowboys headquarters), the Cowboys owner initially had a different take on the situation before he came to his senses.
Previously Jones said, “I do not think the place to express yourself in society is as we recognize the American flag and all the people that have made this country great—the very opportunity for us to be there in front of the nation.”
It’s good that Jones eventually changed his tune because all of the Black players that have made the Cowboys great in the present and the past, and those considering make them greater in the future should have hesitated before playing for such an owner.
Jones knows that if players like Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliot and Dez Bryant take their talents to more tolerant teams then the Cowboys would be up sh*t’s creek without a paddle.
If other NFL owners do not come to the realization that Jones did, the players should definitely put those teams on the do not sign with list.
