-The NFL announced Wednesday that all players who are on the field when the national anthem is heard before a game must stand — or they can choose to remain in the locker room without penalty.
The league's teams agreed unanimously to the new policy during a spring meeting in Atlanta, and they will be subject to a fine if a player disobeys, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said at a news conference.
While the move is in response to dozens of players over the past year kneeling as a form of protest over social justice issues, the guidelines aren't specific about what constitutes a sign of disrespect directed toward the anthem. The fine amount was also unclear.
"All 32 clubs want to make sure that during the moment of the anthem and the flag, that that is a very important moment for a lot of us as a league, as clubs and (for) our country, and it's a moment we want to make sure is done in a respectful fashion," Goodell said.
It was unfortunate that on-field protests created a false perception among many that thousands of NFL players were unpatriotic. This is not and was never the case," the league also said in a statement announcing the new policy.
The union representing players lashed out at the league's decision, tweeting that it had not been consulted about the rule change...
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