<p>President Donald Trump criticized some in the National Football League Friday night <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/22/politics/trump-alabama-trip-senate-race/index.html" type="external">at a rally for Alabama Republican Senate candidate Luther Strange</a>, saying team owners should fire players for taking a knee during the national anthem.</p> 
<p>Trump added that if fans would "leave the stadium" when players kneel in protest during the national anthem, "I guarantee, things will stop."</p> 
<p>Trump said NFL owners should respond to the players by saying, "Get that son of a b**** off the field right now, he's fired. He's fired!"</p> 
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<p>"For a week, (that owner would) be the most popular person in this country. Because that's a total disrespect of our heritage. That's a total disrespect for everything we stand for," Trump said.</p> 
<p>Last year, Colin Kaepernick -- formerly with the San Francisco 49ers, but currently without a team -- drew national attention for refusing to stand during "The Star-Spangled Banner" prior to kickoff.</p> 
<p>"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media <a href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000691077/article/colin-kaepernick-explains-why-he-sat-during-national-anthem" type="external">in August 2016.</a></p> 
<p>His protest spurred both support and backlash.</p> 
<p>Following the events in Charlottesville, Virginia, where white supremacists gathered to protest the removal of a Confederate soldier statue, Seattle Seahawks defensive end <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/16/sport/seahawks-michael-bennett-not-standing-for-national-anthem/index.html" type="external">Michael Bennett told CNN</a> he would follow suit.</p> 
<p>"I can't stand for the national anthem," Bennett said. "I can't stand right now. I'm not going to be standing until I see the equality and freedom."</p> 
<p>Trump also took aim at NFL efforts to prevent concussions. "They're ruining the game, right?" he said. "They're ruining the game."</p>
Trump says NFL owners should fire players who kneel for national anthem