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UPDATE: NFL Announces New National Anthem Policy

Players will be allowed to remain in the locker room, but fines will result from kneeling on the field.

UPDATE: Wednesday, May 23: 

NFL owners voted for a new national anthem policy that requires players and team officials to stand if they are on the field. The policy does permit players and others to remain in the locker room until the performance of the anthem is over.

Under the new policy, teams will be fined if a player or any other team personnel do not show “respect” during the anthem, which includes kneeling during the song.

“We want people to be respectful of the national anthem,” commissioner Roger Goodell said, per ESPN. “We want people to stand — that’s all personnel — and make sure they treat this moment in a respectful fashion. That’s something we think we owe. [But] we were also very sensitive to give players choices.”

 

Below is  CMN’s original story, published on May 22:

NFL owners had a meeting on Tuesday, reportedly to consider a new punishment for players who choose to kneel during the national anthem.

Under the proposal, the home team would decide whether or not both teams are on the field for the anthem, and if so, 15-yard penalties would be handed out to anyone who kneels, Sports Illustrated reported.

Colin Kaepernick, the first NFL player to kneel during the national anthem in protest of police brutality, started a trend that was later adopted by many other players, including former teammate Eric Reid.

Kaepernick and Reid, who are now two unsigned free agents, are currently suing the league, alleging that the NFL teams are colluding to keep them unemployed.

Twitter users from both sides of the argument voiced their opinion on the potential penalty, although some responded more seriously than others.

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