Letter to NFL teams says the league will require players to stand during anthem
Roger Goodell
A letter sent to all 32 NFL teams by Commissioner Roger Goodell  makes clear that the league wants to "move past" the anthem controversy. The league will propose a standardized policy on behavior during the playing of the National Anthem that will include all players and team personnel standing.
 The letter  does not mention any punishment for players who refuse to stand  which makes enforcement of the policy problematic.
 Goodell  made it clear in  the letter   obtained by ESPN's Adam Schefter  that  he  wants players to stand during the anthem.  He  did not provide specifics on how  he  intends to ensure it  but  he  wrote that it would "include such elements as an in-season platform to promote the work of our players on these core issues." The issue will be discussed  and likely acted upon  during the NFL's regularly-scheduled fall meetings on Oct. 17-18. In  the letter    Goodell  said  he  wanted to end the controversy by agreeing on a uniform approach for all teams. "Like many of our fans "  Goodell  wrote  "we believe that everyone should stand for the national anthem. It is an important moment in our game. We want to honor our flag and our country  and our fans expect that of us. "We also care deeply about our players and respect their opinions and concerns about critical social issues. The controversy over the Anthem is a barrier to having honest conversations and making real progress on the underlying issues. We need to move past this controversy  and we want to do that together with our players." The NFL's current anthem policy states that players "should" stand for the anthem  but it stops short of requiring it. The proposed new policy is the result of "many of discussions with clubs and players " Goodell added.
Local 100 of the United Labor Unions has filed a complaint charging that Jones's implicit demands of players violated the National Labor Relations Act. "[T]he employer  evidenced by repeated public statements  is attempting to threaten  coerce and intimidate all Dallas Cowboys players on the roster in order to prevent them from exercising concerted activity protected under the act by saying that he will fire any players involved in such concerted activity " the National Labor Relations Board said in its filing. Jones has not actually threatened to fire players  instead saying they "will not play " but a labor union spokesman told ESPN that is a "distinction without difference when it comes to the law." The NFL's game operations manual has said players "should" stand for the anthem   a stance NFL commissioner Roger Goodell  reaffirmed Tuesday in a memo to team owners. "Like many of our fans  we believe that everyone should stand for  the National Anthem " Goodell  wrote. But there's a gap between "should" and "must " and in trying to bridge that gap  Jones overreached  the labor union contends. The NLRB will investigate the case and will take it to trial if it determines a violation occurred and a settlement can't be reached. Meanwhile  Jones appeared to moderate his stance the tiniest bit on Tuesday  allowing for the possibility of pre-anthem protests similar to what the Cowboys did prior to their game against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3. "If we're going to have any other recognition the place to have it is before the anthem in my view and be real clear that it's not associated with the anthem " Jones told 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. "I think it's real important for our players that they have that to reply to anybody whether they're asking them to express themselves or not that the way we do it where I work  where I earn my livelihood  is that we stand for the flag." It's impossible to overstate the distraction that Jones has created in the Cowboys' locker room  as well as others across the NFL. Players must decide whether paychecks outweigh principles  and star players must decide whether to take the heat for lesser-known teammates. This story isn't going away  and it's no longer just the players driving the narrative.
[TGT] makes clear that the league wants to "move past" the anthem controversy. The league will propose a standardized policy on behavior during the playing of the National Anthem that will include all players and team personnel standing.
  [TGT] does not mention any punishment for players who refuse to stand  which makes enforcement of the policy problematic.
  [TGT] made it clear in  the letter   obtained by ESPN's Adam Schefter  that   [TGT]   wants players to stand during the anthem.   [TGT]   did not provide specifics on how   [TGT]   intends to ensure it  but   [TGT]   wrote that it would "include such elements as an in-season platform to promote the work of our players on these core issues." The issue will be discussed  and likely acted upon  during the NFL's regularly-scheduled fall meetings on Oct. 17-18. In  the letter     [TGT] said   [TGT]   wanted to end the controversy by agreeing on a uniform approach for all teams. "Like many of our fans "  Goodell  wrote  "we believe that everyone should stand for the national anthem. It is an important moment in our game. We want to honor our flag and our country  and our fans expect that of us. "We also care deeply about our players and respect their opinions and concerns about critical social issues. The controversy over the Anthem is a barrier to having honest conversations and making real progress on the underlying issues. We need to move past this controversy  and we want to do that together with our players." The NFL's current anthem policy states that players "should" stand for the anthem  but it stops short of requiring it. The proposed new policy is the result of "many of discussions with clubs and players " Goodell added.
Local 100 of the United Labor Unions has filed a complaint charging that Jones's implicit demands of players violated the National Labor Relations Act. "[T]he employer  evidenced by repeated public statements  is attempting to threaten  coerce and intimidate all Dallas Cowboys players on the roster in order to prevent them from exercising concerted activity protected under the act by saying that he will fire any players involved in such concerted activity " the National Labor Relations Board said in its filing. Jones has not actually threatened to fire players  instead saying they "will not play " but a labor union spokesman told ESPN that is a "distinction without difference when it comes to the law." The NFL's game operations manual has said players "should" stand for the anthem    [TGT] reaffirmed Tuesday in a memo to team owners. "Like many of our fans  we believe that everyone should stand for  the National Anthem  [TGT] wrote. But there's a gap between "should" and "must " and in trying to bridge that gap  Jones overreached  the labor union contends. The NLRB will investigate the case and will take it to trial if it determines a violation occurred and a settlement can't be reached. Meanwhile  Jones appeared to moderate his stance the tiniest bit on Tuesday  allowing for the possibility of pre-anthem protests similar to what the Cowboys did prior to their game against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3. "If we're going to have any other recognition the place to have it is before the anthem in my view and be real clear that it's not associated with the anthem " Jones told 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. "I think it's real important for our players that they have that to reply to anybody whether they're asking them to express themselves or not that the way we do it where I work  where I earn my livelihood  is that we stand for the flag." It's impossible to overstate the distraction that Jones has created in the Cowboys' locker room  as well as others across the NFL. Players must decide whether paychecks outweigh principles  and star players must decide whether to take the heat for lesser-known teammates. This story isn't going away  and it's no longer just the players driving the narrative.