Last week, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones spoke on having a change of heart about athletes protesting during the national anthem. As expected, opinions were strong and varied on social media since he voiced his change of opinion.
Jones previously told his players to stand “toe on the line” at attention during the anthem to show unity and approach the anthem with a single team response. On Friday, he acknowledged that his players’ opinions are diverse, and he asked fans to respect their viewpoint.
“That’s the great thing about America: Everybody has a difference,” Jones said Friday morning on Dallas radio station 105.3 The Fan. “If our players are there, they are sensitive to and respect what America is as it relates to the flag. I’ll assure you that. I’d hope that our fans — and I think they will — understand that our players have issues that they need help on. They need help from the majority of America.”
Some have applauded Jones for supporting the players, while others have wholeheartedly disagreed with his new stance.
Twitter Reacts to Jerry Jones Changing His Mind
The Cowboys owner’s newfound take on protests during the national anthem has sent Twitter users into a frenzy. Many disagree with Jones, including Donald Trump’s son, Eric.
Author Wayne Allyn Root took to Twitter to share a similar opinion as Trump.
Countless other users have posted their disappointment, and many have said they will not be watching NFL games anymore.
Previously, Jones stood firm on his national anthem stance. To date, no Cowboys player has individually kneeled during the anthem in the four years since Colin Kaepernick first took a knee. Kaepernick’s actions in 2016 sparked a movement of players kneeling on NFL sidelines before kickoff to protest racial injustices and police brutality.
