NFL team owners are just as much at fault. Roger Goodell works for the owners and he doesn’t even fart without the NFL owners permission.
Numerous NFL owners came out attacking president Trump the same day that Goodell released his in his initial statement.
Pretty sure that was a tactical ploy hoping that in exchange for a week or two of solidarity and anti Trump rhetoric, the players would be satisfied, settle down a bit, and start standing for the anthem.
It didn’t work.