Fans react: NFL discusses 15-yard penalty for anthem kneeling
During league owner meetings in Atlanta Tuesday, NFL owners discussed instituting a 15-yard penalty for players who kneel during the national anthem before games.
Senior NFL reporter Albert Breer first reported the news on Twitter.
Per sources, one anthem idea being discussed: Leaving it up to home team on whether teams come out for the anthem; if teams do come out for the anthem, potential that teams could be assessed 15-yard penalties for kneeling.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) May 22, 2018
Fans immediately reacted to Breer’s tweet and the news of penalizing teams:
If both teams kneel would the penalties offset?
— Robert Schuknecht (@R_Schuknecht) May 22, 2018
Sports are entertainment. Period. There are no anthems performed before concerts, theater productions, movies, etc. Why before sporting events?
— Chris T (@Chris_DFB) May 22, 2018
Tough spot for NFL. No other major us league allows kneeling. NFL came out with $90 mil social justice initiative, Yet any action from NFL on the kneeling issue will be met with thunderous rage from press. What they should do imo is come to a consensus with NBA, MLB and NHL
— Andrew Dombrowski (@misterandyd) May 22, 2018
I don’t understand why a team should be penalized for taking a knee?
— Bigsumler831 (@Bigsumler1029) May 22, 2018
In all seriousness, what happens? Does the pregame strategy become even more nuanced? Is there kneeling fake outs? What if player a goes to kneel so player b goes to kneel on the opposing team only to stand up at the last second?
— Amundjoy (@amund_joy) May 22, 2018
