NFL owner reveals Trump's secret anthem comments - 'You can't win this one'
Not a ton of information has been leaked regarding the latest developments in Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid’s respective collusion grievances.
That’s not hugely surprising considering the legal ramifications of their grievances. In the unlikely event that either Kaepernick or Reid can prove the NFL colluded against them, it could trigger a clause in the current collective bargaining agreement that would void the whole deal.
This would be problematic for the NFL, as a voided CBA would likely portend another work stoppage for the league. Considering the current issues the NFL is dealing with, a player strike is quite possibly the last thing it needs.
That being said, what tidbits of information that have trickled out about the ongoing depositions against league coaches, owners and executives have been fascinating.
Take, for example, a Wall Street Journal report on what Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said about President Donald Trump while under oath.
“This is a very winning, strong issue for me,” Trump reportedly told Jones over the phone, according to a sworn deposition given by Jones. “Tell everybody, you can’t win this one. This one lifts me.”
That’s a powerful statement from a very powerful man.
But it’s more than just an idle threat. The NFL really “can’t win this one.”
Take for instance the NFL’s new anthem policy requiring all players present on the sideline to stand for the anthem, while still giving players the option to stay in the locker room during the anthem. The new policy seems to have pleased nobody, with swathes of people feeling that staying in the locker room for the anthem is still extremely disrespectful, and others being furious that the league has allegedly trampled on player rights.
Friends who know me, know that I love football. But I won’t be watching this NFL season because of the unfair cowardly and idiotic kneeling ban. #BoycottNFL
— Keith Ellison (@keithellison) May 27, 2018
“Well I think (the new policy is) good,” Trump told Fox News shortly after the new rule was unveiled. “I don’t think people should be staying in locker rooms. But still I think it’s good.”
Trump previously tweeted that staying in the locker room for the anthem was akin to kneeling.
The NFL is now thinking about a new idea – keeping teams in the Locker Room during the National Anthem next season. That’s almost as bad as kneeling! When will the highly paid Commissioner finally get tough and smart? This issue is killing your league!…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2017
Adding credence to The WSJ report, the White House put out a statement that refused to outright deny Trump’s comments.
“The majority of the American people agree with the president, love our country, love our flag and believe it should be respected,” a White House official told the newspaper.
One interesting factor to bear in mind is how Trump’s alleged comments to Jones will affect any collusion grievance. According to a CBS Sports report, a big part of Kaepernick’s grievance is centered on Trump’s influence over NFL owners. Kaepernick believes that “implied” collusion can be proven among owners via Trump’s social media influence.
But make no mistake — Kaepernick, Reid and the NFL Players Association still have quite a hill to climb if they want to prove collusion.
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