After word leaked that the Miami Dolphins included a “Proper Anthem Conduct” section in a team discipline document, the NFL was once again forced to address its anthem policy.
This time, instead of making a hasty change, the league opted to bring things to a standstill.
Hours after the Dolphins document – which included a caveat stating the team could potentially suspend a player for four games for protesting – the NFL and the NFLPA released a joint statement indicating no changes to the policy will be made until both sides are in agreement.
The statement reads in part: “The NFL and NFLPA, through recent discussions, have been working on a resolution to the anthem issue. To allow this constructive dialogue to continue, we have come to a standstill agreement on the NFLPA’s grievance and on the NFL’s anthem policy. No new rules relating to the anthem will be issued or enforced for the next several weeks while these confidential discussions are ongoing.”
It does on to say that both sides “reflect the great values of America” and their main focus will be “finding a solution to the anthem issue through mutual, good faith commitments, outside of litigation.”
What that all means is the league’s new policy could be scrapped – before it even had the chance to be put into practice. It also means President Trump will be tweeting about it again.
Interestingly, the NFL and NFLPA were planning to issue the standstill agreement on Friday but moved up the timing of the announcement because news about the Dolphins document leaked.
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