Less than two months after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the league's new national anthem policy, which requires players to stand if they are on the field during the performance, the NFL and NFLPA have decided to change course. In a joint statement, the NFL and NFLPA announced that they have come to a "standstill agreement" on the players association's grievance and on the NFL's anthem policy.
The statement was issued just hours after the Associated Press revealed that the Miami Dolphins team policy states players who protest during the anthem will be subject to fines and could be suspended for up to four games. Miami's new anthem policy was reportedly noted on a large list of "conduct detrimental to the club," according to the AP.
As a result of the backlash, the NFL & NFLPA released the following:
"The NFL and NFLPA, through recent discussions, have been working on a resolution to the anthem issue," the joint statement said. "In order to allow this constructive dialogue to continue, we have come to a standstill agreement on the NFLPA's grievance and on the NFL's anthem policy.
"The NFL and NFLPA reflect the great values of America, which are repeatedly demonstrated by the many players doing extraordinary work in communities across our country to promote equality, fairness and justice. Our shared focus will remain on finding a solution to the anthem issue through mutual, good faith commitments, outside of litigation."
Back in May, the NFL decided that teams would be fined if players didn't stand during the national anthem while on the field, and that each team is free to develop their own rules regarding players and personnel who protest on the field during the national anthem. The policy was challenged this month in a grievance by the players' union.
