President Donald Trump just can’t let it go.
Last Friday, Trump set the sports world ablaze when he called NFL players who protest during the national anthem “sons of b——,” and suggested they be “fired.” Trump’s divisive rhetoric caused league-wide protests during the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and the president has continued to bash the league via his Twitter account, calling for the NFL to make a rule that makes players stand for the anthem.
And he continued to make the NFL a focal point of his week Wednesday when he praised Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, whose team took a knee before the playing of the anthem but stood together and locked arms during its playing.
That praised was short-lived, however, as Trump turned around and bashed the NFL once again when he was asked by a reporter about the difference between the First Amendment right of the Charlottesville neo-Nazis to protest and that of the NFL players who are protesting.
But instead of answering the question, Trump used the opportunity to take another shot at the league.
“I think the NFL is in a box,” Trump said via CNBC.  “I think they’re in a really bad box. You look at what’s happening with their ratings, you look at what’s going on — I mean, frankly, the only thing that’s doing well in the NFL is the pregame, because everybody wants to see what’s going on. The NFL is in a very bad box. You cannot have people disrespecting our national anthem, our flag, our country. And that’s what they’re doing. And in my opinion, the NFL has to change. Or you know what’s gonna happen? Their business is gonna go to hell.”
However, it appears that rumors of the NFL’s ratings demise are greatly exaggerated or maybe it’s just fake news.
It is unclear if the league-wide protests will continue Sunday, but it doesn’t appear that Trump will be letting this go anytime soon.
Thumbnail photo via Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA TODAY NETWORK Images
