Roger Goodell Met With NFL Players and Owners This Week to Discuss Protests
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell met with a group of 20 to 25 prominent players and owners Tuesday night at the league’s New York headquarters to discuss players protesting during the national anthem, Giants linebacker Jonathan Casillas told NJ.com.
The list of owners included Goodell allies John Mara, Robert Kraft and Art Rooney II, along with Jeffrey Lurie, Stephen Ross and Jimmy and Dee Haslem. Shad Khan, who joined his Jaguars players on the sideline Sunday in London, was also there.
The players present included Casillas, Eagles defensive Chris Long and brothers Devin and Jason McCourty, defensive backs for the Patriots and Browns, respectively.
According to Casillas, Goodell didn’t pressure players and teams to adopt a uniform response to the protests and was more interested in facilitating a conversation.
"Goodell wasn't really saying too much," Casillas told NJ.com. "He was kind of letting the owners and us talk more than anything. I know the owners, for sure, don't want us kneeling. Not because of what the message is. It's the message that's getting across. People are totally misconstruing the kneeling thing, from the beginning."
Every NFL team demonstrated in some way last weekend following Donald Trump’s derogatory comments about NFL players. Some said they were expressing “unity” by kneeling or locking arms during the anthem, while the Seahawks said point-blank that they would “not stand for the injustice that has plagued people of color in this country.”
Rooney’s Steelers have already announced that they will all be standing for the national anthem this week, as have the Broncos.
