Today Roger Goodell announced a new, revised policy mandating that players and team personnel present on the sidelines “shall stand and show respect for the flag and the National Anthem.”  Players who don’t wish to stand can remain in the locker room until the anthem is over.  Further, the league can fine a franchise having representatives who do not stand or show respect.

How embarrassing it was for us, as a country, to see, while playing a game in London, some of the New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphin players kneel during the playing of “The Star Spangled Banner” yet stand for “God Save the Queen.”  Embarrassment aside, I’m sure this came about because of declining attendance and television ratings.

The fact is that most people, besides the fact that they don’t earn millions of dollars for playing a game, are subject to rules of behavior imposed by said employers.  Employees do NOT have a Constitutional right to free speech or freedom of expression while at their place of employment, so employers are free to restrict employee speech while at work.

Of course, many NFL players disagree with this decision.  Malcolm Jenkins of the Eagles tweeted “What NFL owners did today was thwart the players’ constitutional rights…”  Why do these over-privileged football players think they should have more rights than the vast majority of us who are also employees?  Some employees have even been fired for social media postings!  So, the players can scream and shout about their first amendment rights all they want but team owners do have the right to impose rules.

I am glad that many professional football players care about social issues and I applaud them for using their time and money to further their causes.  But, I don’t feel the least bit sorry for them and I don’t feel that they need to use the football arena to express their views.  Professional football players have access to platforms that most of us cannot even aspire to, such as being guests on talk shows or as speakers at events.

For most of us, professional football is entertainment.  We view these games and root for our teams as a form of relief and relaxation from our own work; we need a respite from the stresses of day to day life as well as from politics.  The football field is not the appropriate venue so this year, guys, please just play football.