I thought there was already a rule for that?
There seemed to have been a conflict in meaning.
Supposedly, there was a ‘policy’, but it was not considered as a ‘rule’. Thus, one could violate the ‘policy’ and be okay, but one could not violate the ‘rule’.
That should clear things up for you. :)
The NFL's Operations Manual says players should be on the field during the anthem and that violations "may" result in disciplinary action. The Manual should be changed to require more than mere presence on the field and discipline should mandatory.
There IS already a rule for NFL players to stand at attention, heads uncovered with right hand over the heart, until the National Anthem is completed. A number of the players have chosen to ignore that rule, but unfortunately, the response by the league to the infractions was not punished when it first took place.
And now they want to put that horse back in the barn?
Rots of ruck, GI.
It is in the stadium ‘Operations Manual’ which is a non-public guide to making the game experience more similar in the different stadiums. It’s just a reprint of the same general anthem protocol used everywhere in public life. It is not in the NFL Rule Book.
A proposal will be that proper anthem protocol will be in each and every player contract, as done in the NBA.
Doubtful if it will happen, because most owners are New World Order elites with hate for American exceptionalism.