The NFL changed its national anthem policy Wednesday, declaring if players sit or kneel during “The Star-Spangled Banner” their teams will be fined. If individual players do not wish to stand, they can remain in the locker room until after it is played.
Sounds like a reasonable rule, although some players and patriots are firmly against it.
I’m already on the record as saying I had no real problem with players in the past doing whatever they wanted to do during the traditional playing of the song before games. The very anthem blaring out of stadium loudspeakers represented the freedom athletes exercised by way of their protestations.