Almost every NFL owner released some type of statement responding to President Trump on Friday night urging them to fire “son of a bitch” players who kneel for the national anthem. As billionaire businessmen tend to do when the government tries to interfere with their businesses, those owners all indicated that they would not be following Trump’s orders, and that they recognize the rights of players to freedom of expression.
But most of the owners stopped far short of a full-throated condemnation of Trump, opting instead to issues statements that would avoid enflaming the issue.
Before any owner said anything about the matter, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement on Saturday morning calling Trump’s comments divisive and disrespectful. As is often the case with Goodell’s comments, it didn’t really satisfy either side: Trump took issue with it, but so did many critics of the president who thought Goodell should have more strenuously objected.
Most owners have stayed close to Goodell’s line: They disagree with Trump’s statements, but they’re doing so by emphasizing words like “unity” and trying to avoid taking sides.
A few owners were different. On Saturday afternoon, Giants owners John Mara and Steve Tisch issued a more forceful criticism of Trump. Then 49ers owner Jed York was more forceful still.
Trump friend Robert Kraft said he was “deeply disappointed” with Trump. The Jets, whose owner Woody Johnson is overseas serving as an ambassador for Trump, released a statement that didn’t criticize Trump from acting owner Christopher Johnson.
Some owners, including Cincinnati’s Mike Brown and Washington’s Dan Snyder, offered statements that were notably weaker than Goodell’s, effectively saying nothing at all other than, “Here’s a statement.”
A couple of teams haven’t issued a statement. A Panthers spokesman said owner Jerry Richardson will not be making a statement. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, usually the NFL’s most outspoken owner, has been silent, although he may have something to say before the Cowboys play tonight.
What no NFL owner has done yet is the most powerful statement an owner could make: Signing Colin Kaepernick.