Years from now, politicians and NFL executives may look back on the 2017 season and say to themselves, “What were we thinking?”
While plenty of on-field action draws millions of viewers every Sunday, the broader, more political issue of national anthem protests has catapulted the NFL onto a stage ill-suited for its leaders.
Colin Kaepernick made headlines in 2016 for kneeling during the national anthem to shine the spotlight on police brutality against unarmed African Americans. Many believed the protest would soon wither away along with Kaepernick’s career. The 2017 season looked like the end of pre-game protests.