This is not a player freedom of speech issue. The players are uniformed representatives of the company. They do not have the right to say or do anything they want while in uniform on the field. If they want to demonstrate, they should take off the uniform and leave the stadium. Otherwise, they should be sanctioned or fired. However, I doubt any team will have the guts to do that.
“There is no easy answer.”
Here’s an easy answer: Do your “protesting” on your own time, football players. Leave it out of the game people are paying to see, a significant percentage of whom probably don’t agree with your “protest.”
I’m hoping and waiting for the revenue to take a precipitous drop. When it impacts the bottom line, they’ll find the courage to take a “principled” position on the issue. However, at that point, it’ll be too late and the small-market teams will be the first to feel the pain.