Dak Prescott, Jerry Jones Speak Out About Standing For National Anthem
With the NFL season just one week away, many are wondering if any notable stars will opt to protest the National Anthem.
While a number of players have already come out one way or the other, the Dallas Cowboys find themselves in an interesting situation.
Team owner Jerry Jones has publicly spoken out against the idea of protesting the National Anthem. That has been his consistent position for years. However, the 77-year-old has also acknowledged that he wants to listen to his players as well.
“We’ve had very, very sensitive times ,” he said recently.
“What I do want us to show and be a part of is a word called ‘grace.’ Not only grace in our actions but in our understanding of where they’re coming from. I want our players to understand the perception of where they’re coming from regarding — the American — flag and the sensitivity there and the many memories there.”
One NFL player has decided to honor a fallen police officer on his helmet next season. https://t.co/a87RpietTQ
— Game 7 (@game7__) September 3, 2020
This week, Prescott was asked for his take on the National Anthem and whether he and his teammates should stand or kneel for it.
“It’s about expressing yourself,” he said.
“I wouldn’t say it’s going to be about expressing one idea. That’s where we are as a country right now. Individuals have different thoughts, different perceptions and different feelings than their neighbor. So for you to force your opinion and your perceptions on somebody I think isn’t very important right now.
“If I had it my way, that’s exactly what we’d do: Express ourselves individually but love and support one another collectively.”
Prescott remained non-committal regarding what he specifically plans to do, but consistently preached a message of acceptance.
“Right now, it’s about listening to the other man, having empathy for him and understanding where he may be coming from,” Prescott said.
“I think, if anything, you’ll just see guys expressing themselves, and more so from that you’re going to see people supporting one another and loving one another. “Then we’ll all be working toward a common goal—which in the game of football is winning. But in life, I think it’s love and equality.”
Time for the Dolphins to panic?https://t.co/eagedoAOZw
— Game 7 (@game7__) September 2, 2020
Dak Prescott, Cowboys Have A Big Year Ahead
Prescott and the Cowboys have a lot to prove in 2020. After coming out of the gates hot in 2019, the team floundered in the second half of the season – ultimately choking away a playoff berth in the process.
Jason Garrett was shown the door and Mike McCarthy was hired as the new head coach over the summer.
Prescott went into the offseason fresh off the best individual year of his career. However, the team’s lack of success stunted his contract negotiations with the organization, and he did not receive the massive new deal he was hoping for.
Instead, Jones opted to use the franchise tag on him.
Prescott will earn $31.4 million for his troubles this season, all the while attempting to prove that he is worthy of the lucrative long-term deal he is seeking out.
Whether the team will kneel or stand for the National Anthem should not be a huge issue. It is a minor distraction, at best.
However, the Cowboys showed what even minor distractions could do to their locker room last season.
Certain outside noises, no matter how quiet initially, can grow louder and louder if left unchecked.
Cowboys players need to get on the same page regarding the National Anthem and then move on to more pressing matters. If they don’t, 2020 may quickly end up devolving into 2019 for America’s team.
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A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
“Whether the team will kneel or stand for the National Anthem should not be a huge issue. It is a minor distraction, at best.”
Whether fans watch football is not a huge issue. It’s a minor distraction at best.
They are killing the goose that laid the golden egg…in the shape of a football. The NFL is a business and if these millionaire players had stayed in school long enough they would know that you play to your strengths, your mostly male, older, black and white demographic who are hard workers, ex-military, sports fans. If they find out you are stupid, rich, unpatriotic spoiled children they will go back to supporting high school ball, hunting and fishing and there will be empty stadiums.