New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch said his team will not punish players who choose to protest during the playing of the national anthem this season.
In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter released Wednesday, Tisch defied the new NFL rule approved at May's NFL owners meeting that will require players to stand during the playing of the anthem.
“We support our players,” Tisch said, according to the Hollywood Reporter. “They are not going to be punished. There is not going to be any punitive action taking place against them.”
Over the past two seasons, many NFL players have silently taken a knee, sat or raised a fist during the playing of the national anthem in protest of police brutality and social injustice.
Tisch's statement comes as a report surfaced last week that the Miami Dolphins are considering punishing their players with fines, suspensions or both for any protests that infringe upon new League rules regarding behavior during the playing of the national anthem.
The new rules developed after frequent criticisms from President Donald Trump and some of the NFL fan base over the past year.
In his interview, Tisch also spoke out against Trump’s criticisms.
"Hopefully (Trump will) have much more going on that he's going have to deal with…than worrying about what NFL players do," Tisch told The Hollywood Reporter. "He has no understanding of why they take a knee or why they're protesting. When the new season starts, I hope his priorities are not criticizing the NFL and telling owners what to do and what not to do."
The NFL protests began in the 2016 season when former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began taking a knee to silently speak against the social injustice many face in the United States.
In the weeks and season that followed, several NFL players followed Kaepernick’s example, sparking conversation and criticism.
