President Trump’s statements dominated the NFL news shows, with all of them leading with the story and spending a great deal of time on it. Among today’s top quotes. Charles Barkley said, “We as players have to figure out what to do next. We have to stop worrying about who’s kneeling or who is not kneeling. We have to figure out a way to go back in our communities and make a difference.” CBS’ Phil Simms: “In a sad way, maybe this is going to be good. This is going to move the conversation forward.” CBS’ Boomer Esiason: “In my lifetime I never thought I would ever see what I’m seeing today. What I’m seeing today is a unity, as you used the word united, a unity between the owners and the players like I’ve never seen before. So the conversation is started, the conversation is going” (“The NFL Today,” CBS, 9/24). “Face The Nation” host John Dickerson: “What’s striking here is the president here took a divisive issue and picked a side and has now inflamed it rather than traditionally what presidents try to do, which is lower those flames.” (“The NFL Today,” CBS, 9/24).
Fox' Curt Menefee: "A lot of these players have feelings, they’ve got emotions, they’ve got opinions and many of these players I spoke to feel their voice is not being heard.” Fox' Jay Glazer: “When else do you have the commissioner, the head of the players union, the players, the officials, the owners, the management, everybody unified under the same thing?" ("Fox NFL Sunday," Fox, 9/24). Fox' Tony Gonzalez said of Trump, “All he did was galvanize the NFL to come together from ownership with the players and not even just football. This goes to every sport now, basketball, baseball” ("Fox NFL Kickoff," Fox, 9/24).
CBSSN's London Fletcher: “One thing about professional athletes, African-American athletes, when you back us up into the corner, we are going to come out fighting. That is what we do" ("That Other Pregame Show," CBSSN, 9/24). NFL Net's Rich Eisen: "This league, these teams will not be divided because they love each other. They respect each other. They want to be heard about racial equality. They are being heard" ("NFL Gameday Morning," NFL Network, 9/24).
