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As the new NFL season began, the league’s unprecedented zero tolerance policy for “wokeness” was on full show as seven players were disqualified for the heinous sin of kneeling during the national anthem. Yeah, you heard it correctly. A few of players had the audacity to kneel at the National Football League’s season-opening ceremony, which millions of people saw online, and the league’s response was immediate and brutal. The NFL’s announcement that it will not permit any kind of protest during the national anthem has shocked the sports world. Simply put, the league has reportedly had enough with kneeling and all things “wokeness.”
“This is a new season, free from kneeling wokeness,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at a hurriedly convened news conference, expressing excitement at finally ending the four-year-long controversy that has divided fans, players, and analysts.
Speaking while flanked by a gigantic banner reading “Keep Football Great,” Goodell went on to say, “From now on, players will stand tall, proud, and completely devoid of any political opinions—at least during the national anthem.” The sentiment was, to be honest, a little too condescending.
Security personnel removed the now-famous kneeling players off the field in a manner more suited to a high-stakes heist film than the opening ceremony of the United States’ beloved sport. Notable individuals that were disqualified were defensive end Marcus “The Wall” Johnson, wide receiver Devin Thompson, and offensive lineman Ricky “Brick House” Davis, among many others. It was said that they were each ordered to surrender their helmets, remove their lockers, and, as an extra slap in the face, erase any traces of their social media profiles.
In addition to being a form of political protest, it has evolved into a disqualifying infraction, similar to getting found with performance-enhancing drugs or deflating footballs.
Goodell shook his head in disapproval, as if he were a father whose child had just thrown a fastball through the living room window. “We warned them,” he added. “They’ve had enough opportunities. However, these athletes paid little attention. Since they made the conscious decision to become more awake, they may sit back and contemplate their choices in the privacy of their own homes.
The players have chosen to keep mute in response to this unexpected disqualification. Or, more accurately, they would have spoken out if they hadn’t been compelled to remove all of their social media accounts, leaving them almost speechless in the online realm.
In an effort to retake its territory from what many fans and owners have described as “unnecessary distractions,” the NFL has taken this daring new step. There has been enough back and forth over national anthem demonstrations for the league to determine that enough is enough. What is the target? During a united football season, Goodell stressed, “Let’s not get carried away with the symbolism,” which means that kneeling is only permitted in the huddle and for a limited duration even then.
With a theatrical flourish, Goodell said, “This is football.” He looked like a revival meeting preacher. We are not discussing politics. Social justice isn’t at stake. 22 guys go on a field and, for the sake of the spectators, knock each other out cold. We long for the days of the game in its original, unadulterated form. Kneeling and “woke” rhetoric are out. Nothing except football.
For extra emphasis, the NFL has introduced a number of new regulations for the upcoming season that will be enforced within stadiums. These regulations include a “stand or leave” policy that asks fans who are caught sitting or kneeling during the national anthem to “reconsider their commitment to the game” and a requirement that all fans wave small American flags at the gate during the anthem. If anybody needed further evidence, the league is determined to erase any hint of politics from its domain.
Some teams reportedly plan to play the national anthem many times throughout the game to dissuade players from having any strange thoughts about demonstrating during halftime, which is a really strange turn of events. Some have even suggested putting “patriot cams” at stadiums to record the players and supporters standing during the national anthem. Ultimately, one club owner famously said, “Are you even an American if you’re not standing?”
All parts of the football-loving globe have naturally expressed their opinions on this overbearing strategy. Prolonged football supporters, who have been demanding that the NFL “get back to basics,” are hailing the move as a triumph of logic and nationalism.
This is it! “Enough with this kneeling nonsense,” said one avid fan outside Soldier Field. “I came to see grown men fight, not stand mute during the national anthem!” It’s high time the NFL took action.
While everything was going on, detractors were calling the disqualifications “tone-deaf” and “an overreaction to a peaceful protest.” Hashtags such as #LetThemKneel and #NFLKneelers trended for hours on end on social media, which caused an inevitable explosion of controversy.
The implications of this for the development of player expressiveness are now puzzling both athletes and pundits. Do you believe the NFL will punish players just for considering kneeling? Would it be necessary for coaches to swear they would not let their team leaders to kneel at emotional moments? In order to prevent potentially politically charged performances, would the NFL ever do away with halftime shows?
We can already see that this season will be unlike any other. This is not due to a shift in quarterbacks or new rules, but rather the NFL has set a firm boundary. Interestingly, this border is delineated by the fact that no knees are pressed on the floor.
The league’s new position has been reinforced in the days after the disqualifications, with the organization justifying the move as essential to “preserve the integrity of the game.” On the other hand, others are wondering whether the NFL has really become more political in its pursuit of political neutrality.
After a period of cautious tolerance, the league has suddenly descended into totalitarianism, making life difficult for the players who kneeled in quiet protest. With their statement that “this season, there will be no wokeness,” the NFL has effectively crushed any chance of a compromise in the argument.
The question then becomes, what happens to the players that were disqualified? Do they face an eternal ban from the league or the possibility of a return contingent upon a patriotic pledge? Will the players who contribute to the NFL’s success feel alienated by the league’s new anti-kneeling stance?
At this point in time, one thing is crystal clear: NFL players who choose to participate in this season’s games must stand quietly during the national anthem or risk having their eligibility revoked before the end of the game.
