When I took my job that I worked at for 35 years, I had to sign an agreement that I would do nothing that would shine a bad light on the company's famous logo.
So while I worked for this company a portion of my free speech was limited.
I now sit on a board where I am not free to go to the newspaper and talk about my personal views of the issues the board deals with. Again my free speech is limited.
But I can always choose not to work for the company or sit on the board with these restrictions.
The players are free to resign their jobs and do as they please, but while on the job their behavior is unacceptable.
In the real word, if you engage in an unauthorized political protest on your employer’s time, dime and property, you get a pink slip.
Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequnces. Which is what the NFL and its players are finding out the hard way.