On Wednesday, NFL owners approved new rules regarding proper "respect for the flag" and the national anthem. While players are no longer required to be on the field for the anthem, "a club will be fined by the league if its personnel are on the field and do not stand and show respect for the flag and the anthem."
Players who want to protest may stay in the locker room until after the ceremony, and each team is allowed to "develop its own work rules … regarding its personnel who do not stand." The announcement follows quarterback Colin Kaepernick's decision to kneel in protest of racial injustice during games in 2016, which prompted other players to follow suit, drawing outcry from critics, including the president.
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