With the team honoring military members, all members of the Falcons stood while the national anthem was being performed before practice Saturday.

On July 27, Falcons owner Arthur Blank called the NFL's national-anthem dilemma "complex" while also adding that players should be able to exercise their Constitutional rights under the First Amendment.

After some players begin to protest social and racial injustices during the national anthem around the NFL last season, the Falcons stood most of the time, except for one game when two players knelt in protest of derogatory comments directed to the NFL players.

The NFL and the NFLPA, the player’s union, have met in an attempt to come up with a solution after the owners tried to require players to stand or face a possible fine.

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Atlanta Falcons linebacker James Pearce Jr. returned to practice Thursday after suffering a groin injury. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

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Julian Conley listens during opening statements in his trial at Fulton County Superior Court in Atlanta on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. The 25-year-old is accused of fatally shooting 8-year-old Secoriea Turner in July 2020. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC)

Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com