All of the comments thus far miss the point. Here it is folks. The point is that football is a business. Owners are the employers. Players are the employees. Fans are the customers. Employers have the right to require their employees, while at work, to conduct themselves in a manner that does not alienate their customers, whether or not that is the employees' intention. It's that simple.

This is not a first amendment issue because the government is not mandating the players can or cannot kneel. President Trump spoke out forcefully, but he did not issue an executive order. At least not yet.