Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — President Trump turned on the NFL commissioner Saturday evening, after Roger Goodell spoke out about the president condemning players who kneel in protest during the national anthem and calling on team owners to fire those players.
In a tweet, Trump said Goodell is “trying to justify the total disrespect certain players show to our country.”
Roger Goodell of NFL just put out a statement trying to justify the total disrespect certain players show to our country.Tell them to stand!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017
Goodell did not mention the president by name in his statement earlier today.
“Divisive comments like these demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL, our great game and all of our players, and a failure to understand the overwhelming force for good our clubs and players represent in our communities.”
NFL players across the league and their union — and even some team officials — were more direct in their response to Trump’s criticism Friday night of the handful of NFL players who have kneeled or sat on the bench during the national anthem performed before games over the past two seasons. The practice was most famously done by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Kaepernick, who is currently unsigned, began kneeling in the preseason in 2016 as a sign of protest over the treatment of blacks in the U.S.
Trump, speaking at a rally in Alabama on Friday, said, “Wouldn’t you love to see one of the NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say ‘Get that son of a b—- off the field right now?'”
“You know, some owner … is going to say, ‘That guy who disrespects our flag, he’s fired,'” the president said to thunderous applause and cheers.
The president of the NFL Players Union, which represents current and former players, released a statement on Saturday: “The balance between the rights of every citizen in our great country gets crossed when someone is told to just ‘shut up and play.'”
Union President DeMaurice Smith acknowledged in his statement that “the peaceful demonstrations by some of our players” haven’t been universally supported, but “have generated a wide array of responses.”
But, he added, “Those opinions are protected speech and a freedom that has been paid for by the sacrifice of men and women throughout history … No man or woman should ever have to choose a job that forces them to surrender their rights.”
Hours later Trump fired back at his critics, tweeting that it was a “privilege” for athletes to earn a lucrative career in professional sports.
If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL,or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017
…our Great American Flag (or Country) and should stand for the National Anthem. If not, YOU’RE FIRED. Find something else to do!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017
San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York weighed in Saturday afternoon, called the presiden’ts comments “callous and offensive” and “contradictory to this great country stands for”
— Jed York (@JedYork) September 23, 2017
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross did not refer to the president directly, but said in a statement the country “needs unifying leadership right now, not more divisiveness.”
Statement from Miami Dolphins Owner and Founder of Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) Stephen Ross. pic.twitter.com/6W3mXwJO6M
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) September 23, 2017
Reaction to Trump’s comments on social media by players were largely negative:
Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall
— Brandon Marshall (@BMarshh54) September 23, 2017
Lions tight end Eric Ebron
Does anyone tell trump to stick to politics, like they tell us to stick to sports? Smh.
— Eric Ebron (@Ebron85) September 23, 2017
Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis
Trump!!
— Thomas Davis (@ThomasDavisSDTM) September 23, 2017
Redskins linebacker Zach Brown
Trump stay in ur place… football have nothing to do wit u smh
— Zach Brown (@ZachBrown_55) September 23, 2017
Titans wide receiver Rishard Matthews (a college teammate of Kaepernick)
I’m a full supporter of the Flag & This country! Trust Me! But this can’t be real! https://t.co/GAPkZPB8hz
— Rishard Matthews (@_RMatthews) September 23, 2017
Buccaneers safety T.J. Ward
Smh! Gives more reason https://t.co/TyVCJgQK0L
— T.J. Ward (@BossWard43) September 23, 2017
Vikings running back Bishop Sankey
It’s a shame and disgrace when you have the President of the US calling citizens of the country sons of a bitches.
— Bishop Sankey (@BishopSankey) September 23, 2017
Former Texans running back Arian Foster
cloth has more value than people. apparently. https://t.co/PZjeRA9861
— feeno (@ArianFoster) September 23, 2017
Kaepernick did not respond to the Trump’s comments in the hours following the speech by Trump.
Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett recently reignited the debate when he criticized Las Vegas police for racial profiling following an accidental arrest last month.
Bennett was detained by police outside a Las Vegas casino on Aug. 27 after police responded to a report of gunfire in the area. Video obtained by TMZ of the incident shows an officer yelling at Bennett and pointing his gun at him while he is handcuffed. He was later let go by police.
Bennett has begun sitting on the bench during the national anthem in protest of police violence.
President Trump is no stranger to the National Football League. In February, he was seen dining with New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, and in January just before his inauguration, the president singled out Kraft at a dinner.
Copyright © 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
