Owner Stephen Ross: Dolphins 'Haven't Made a Decision' on National Anthem Policy
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said that the organization has not "made a decision" on what to do with their national anthem policy, in a statement released Friday.
Ross's announcement comes one day after the Associated Press reported that the Dolphins would possibly suspend players for up to four games if they did not stand on the field during the national anthem. The decision was part of a team policy in a "Proper Anthem Conduct" section in a nine-page discipline document for the team.
"We were asked to submit a form to the NFL on our overall discipline policy prior to the start of the rookie report date," the statement said. "The one line sentence related to the national anthem was a placeholder as we haven't made a decision on what we would do, if anything, at that point.
"I'm pleased that the NFL and NFLPA are taking a pause to figure out a resolution on this issue."
After the report of the Dolphins' national anthem policy was released on Thursday, the NFL and NFL issued a joint statement hours later. The two parties reached a "standstill agreement" over the NFL's anthem policy and the NFLPA's grievance.
"No new rules relating to the anthem will be issued or enforced for the next several weeks while these confidential discussions are ongoing," the statement said.
The NFLPA filed a grievance challenging the leauge's new anthem policy on July 10.
In May, NFL owners unanimously approved a new anthem policy that requires players to stand if they are on the field during the performance of the Star-Spangled Banner. The new policy gives players the option to remain in the locker room, if they want. The NFL subjects the teams to a fine, if a player or a member of team personnel does not show respect for the anthem.
Players have been kneeling, sitting and raising fists during the national anthem in an effort to raise awareness for racial and social injustice in America since Colin Kaepernick took a knee before a preseason game in 2016.
