The NFL had no choice here. The players have all the leverage because every lawyer who has looked at the situation has advised the NFL that it can’t take any disciplinary action over this without renegotiating the terms of the collective bargaining agreement with the players union. Individual owners can actually as they see fit but they will have to honor a player’s contract even if the player is fired.
Great point. That’s the real problem.
In a bigger sense, that’s the problem with hiring people who aren’t in their job because they love the job, but are instead in the job primarily for the money. Or, stated another way, they don’t mainly love the job, they love the money they make in the job.
Once an organization crosses this line, it’s only a matter of time before it completely runs off the rails.
Haven't been keeping track, but was the contractual right to fine players for undesirable end-zone behavior negotiated away?
The NFL could use one of the bankruptcy laws given the huge decline in ratings and the high players contracts.Then sit down with the players union and ask how do we get our ratings back now that your players want to add political protest into what should be a football game.
Alternatively they could rename themselves into the World Football League and redesign their emblem to take out stars and red, white and blue since it is obvious they stand for nothing American. Maybe a red and yellow emblem with a communist fist somewhere would be more apropos.
Maybe if they tested for illicit drugs and performance enhancing drugs before every game and published the results each week. Then I would at least know who is walking the talk vs. talking the talk. It might make the game more interesting at this point. Imagine half a team getting caught on cycle? I would tune in for that.