Donald Trump spent part of his Friday night attacking players from America’s most popular sports league. At a campaign rally for Alabama Sen. Luther Strange, Trump riled up the the crowd by referencing the on-going protests in the NFL, which began last year when Colin Kaepernick, the then-QB for the San Francisco 49ers, took a knee during the National Anthem.
“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these N.F.L. owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, he’s fired,’” the president of the United States said, before adding: “When people like yourselves turn on television and you see those people taking the knee when they’re playing our great national anthem, the only thing you could do better is if you see it, even if it’s one player, leave the stadium. I guarantee things will stop.”
Trump's comments in Alabama tonight on the NFL's rule changes and ongoing anthem protests. pic.twitter.com/yEUumh31pq
— Bryan Armen Graham (@BryanAGraham) September 23, 2017
Trump also lambasted the rules recently put in place to protect NFL players from concussions and other severe injuries. “They’re ruining the game,” he said. “They’re ruining the game.”
Several prominent NFL players responded appropriately on Twitter.
The behavior of the President is unacceptable and needs to be addressed. If you do not Condemn this divisive Rhetoric you are Condoning it!!
— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) September 23, 2017
It's really sad man … our president is a asshole
— LeSean Shady Mccoy (@CutonDime25) September 23, 2017
The NFL also released a typically mealy-mouthed statement in response to Trump’s comments.
NFL's response to Trump's comments pic.twitter.com/WcUJePAMKZ
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) September 23, 2017
