Johnson (c) met with players in '17 after President Trump criticized players who kneeled during the anthemGETTY IMAGES
Many Jets players were "discouraged" by the NFL's new national anthem policy, but they were pleased that Jets Chair & CEO Christopher Johnson "publicly said he would not impose punishment on any player who protested, and would pay any fines the Jets, as a team, incurred from the league for their players staging a protest," according to Brian Costello of the N.Y. POST. Jets WR Jermaine Kearse said, "We’ve been actively in conversations with Christopher, on how we can go about it, and other ways to make change. I’m very appreciative of him. I think he kind of gets it, the fact that he has taken ownership, to support us and be actively involved." Kearse said that other team owners "should look at how Johnson has handled the controversy." Costello notes Johnson last year "met with players early in the season after President Trump criticized the NFL players who kneeled during the anthem." Kearse said, "I wish (other owners) would be more like Chris and support the players and actively be involved and have those conversations with your players" (N.Y. POST, 5/30). The AP's Dennis Waszak Jr. reported Johnson "met with the entire team last week and explained to the players why he voted in favor of the new NFL rule ... while also assuring them they would not be punished by the team if they did not adhere to the league's policy." Jets coach Todd Bowles: "It's always nice to have the owner have your back. It's about the issues for us. We didn't have a problem a year ago. We'll continue to talk as a group, as a team and as an organization, and go forward from there" (AP, 5/29). Jets LB Darron Lee said, "We try to make it a group thing. Let's decide on something as a group and as a unit. It's dope, on whatever we decide as a group and as a unit, that our owner has our back" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 5/30).
ELLIS TALKS TO BRONCOS: In Denver, Mike Klis noted Broncos President & CEO Joe Ellis "met with the team's 90 players" yesterday to discuss the new anthem rule, though Ellis did "not talk about a team policy." Broncos LB Von Miller said, "We have an understanding as players of what needs to be done regarding the national anthem. We were already done with that last year. We came together as a team last year. It’s a situation that we’re already passed last year. So, any new policy that the league imposes, it really doesn’t affect us because we were already done a season ago" (9NEWS.com, 5/29). Broncos coach Vance Joseph said the policy is a "good thing" for the league. He added that it "provides a map for each team" (DENVER POST, 5/30).
MORE TEAM RESPONSES: Giants coach Pat Shurmur said the team will discuss the new policy "at some point ... but we just haven’t done it yet." He said, "We'll just let it settle for a minute" (NORTHJERSEY.com, 5/29). Rams coach Sean McVay said the team had "not settled on a team policy for how they would handle the pregame activities and said it would be determined closer to the start of the season." McVay: "It all goes back to making sure we're all on the same page" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 5/30).
