Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, shows who the boss is by saying that anyone who is disrespecting the national anthem and the flag is not going to be allowed to play.
After the loss to the Green Bay Packers, Jones said: “If there’s anything that is disrespectful to the flag, then we will not play. Understand? We will not … if we are disrespecting the flag, then we will not play. Period.”
In the meantime, Vice President, Mike Pence, left the game between the Indianapolis Colts and the San Francisco 49ers because more than 20 players from the San Francisco team knelt during the anthem. Pence later tweeted that he was not willing to be a part of any event that disrespects the anthem, the flag, and American soldiers.
Interestingly enough, prior to this event, when the Dallas Cowboys faced the Arizona Cardinals, Jones and his family supported the players, coaches, and staff on the field by locking arms during the anthem. This was done to oppose President Donald Trump’s comment that every NFL owner should immediately fire players who decide to kneel during the national anthem.
Dallas Morning News reports that Dallas’ defensive ends David Irving and Damontre Moore raised their fists after the anthem this Sunday, and Jones had no comment since he was unaware of the situation.
“We as a team are very much on the page together,” Jones said. “We made our expression. I’m very supportive of the team, but under no circumstances will the Dallas Cowboys — I don’t care what happens — under no circumstances will we as an organization, coaches, players, not support and stand and recognize and honor the flag. Period.”
Jerry Jones was one of the seven NFL owners who donated to Trump’s inaugural committee, and the two had a word after the Cowboys defeated the Cardinals. Jones said that Trump had told him that the whole thing could have been avoided had the NFL imposed a rule which obliged players to stand during the anthem.
The NFL manual says: “During the National Anthem, players on the field and bench area should stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their left hand, and refrain from talking.”
On the other hand, the players claim that they do not disrespect the flag and their protests are aimed to raise awareness of police brutality and racism which are still common in the U.S. Jones concluded: “If it comes between the impression or the perception that we’re not standing together, supporting each other or the perception that we’re disrespecting the flag, the perception that we’re not together will be secondary to not respecting the flag. Respecting the flag is first.”
