NFL 2017: The year of controversy

American football is what Sundays are made of in the States. Friends gather together over nachos and beer to scream, curse, and cheer for their favourite teams.

Unfortunately the 2017 football season has been overshadowed by a bigger issue. Several NFL teams and countless individual players have made it their business to make a statement before kick-off. These statements have come in the form of kneeling, raised fists and even complete absence from the singing of the United States national anthem.

More attention has been paid to this behaviour before the game than what’s actually happening on the field.

Hints of controversy surfaced at the end of last year when Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers took a knee in protest of what he felt was violence and racism against African Americans and minorities. Kaepernick was quoted saying, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour”.

Now this is where the true controversy stems from. There is a clear divide among Americans as to whether or not protesting during the national anthem has anything to do with racism. The anthem and the flag are representations of the country and, most importantly, those men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.

This season the protests became the norm, with only six teams not having a single player sit or raise a fist during the anthem. Some teams are skirting the line by kneeling only prior to the anthem and standing when the flag is presented.

NFL ratings and earnings have taken a hard hit due to the protest controversy. NFL ticket sales saw a 17.9 per cent decline – the largest dip since 2014 – and countless fans took to social media, posting videos where they burnt team jerseys and vowed to never watch or support the NFL ever again.

People who take this stance believe the players’ actions are a clear sign of disrespect for their country.

(Image: Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)

Americans aren’t thrilled with the way President Donald Trump is handling the situation either. In typical Trump fashion the President told a Republican rally, “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, you’d say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He’s fired. He’s fired!’”.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones expressed his outrage over Trump’s comments in an interesting way. The team, including Jones, all took a knee prior to the national anthem and then stood with arms locked when the song played. It was the team’s intention to show unity but also show respect for the flag, the country and its soldiers.

The problem lies not so much in the message but in the delivery. The lines have been blurred between the protest’s origins and what it has morphed into. It’s interesting to note that Colin Kaepernick is currently without a contract. He represents the start of a movement – a movement that is widely unpopular.

No-one can deny an NFL player’s human rights. The first amendment to the United States constitution protects freedom of speech and peaceful protest. Though fans may not agree nor understand the behaviour of some, all players are acting within their rights.

For those wondering how much power and say the NFL has over the player’s choice to stand, kneel or completely ignore the national anthem, the answer is unclear.

Technically all NFL players and coaches are employed by the NFL. Team owners are franchisees, therefore the NFL controls their actions, but no formal decision has been made regarding whether or not the NFL has any plans to order coaches to force players to stand for the anthem.

Surprisingly during the Thanksgiving games only one player knelt – New York Giants defensive end Oliver Vernon.

Maybe the lack of protest on this day had something to do with being thankful, or perhaps the protests are coming to an end. Whatever the reason, American football fans can only hope that the 2018 season brings less drama and controversy and more focus on the game we all know and love.