NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement on Saturday morning in reaction to President Trump’s Friday night call for the league to get rid of “son of a bitch” players who don’t stand during the playing of the national anthem and his words were followed by many others from owners, players and coaches around the league.
As Sunday’s games wound down, Goodell, who called the President’s comments “divisive” and lacking respect for the league, shared his thoughts about a day filled with focus on how players comported themselves during the anthem.
“The way we reacted today, and this weekend, made me proud,” Goodell told Peter King of TheMMQB.com. “I’m proud of our league. . . . They reflected the frustration, the disappointment, of the players over the divisive rhetoric we heard [from the President].”
King asked Goodell if he was bothered by that prospect of more of the same in weeks to come.
“No,” Goodell said. “We live in an imperfect society. A public discourse makes us strong.”
The President continued to comment on the league via Twitter over the weekend and on Monday, which suggests that the discourse may not be ending in the immediate future.