WFAN-AM's Boomer Esiason said he "would not be surprised" if the NFL is telling its broadcast partners not to show players protesting during the National Anthem. Ratings for the NFL are down this season, and Esiason wonders if the league is telling its media partners, "Enough already, we’re not showing this anymore." WFAN's Craig Carton said of the possibility, "I’d buy that.” Carton said NFL broadcasts typically will pan back-and-forth on both teams “as all the guys are lined up" for the Anthem, but ESPN on Monday night "didn’t do that." Carton: "They only did like three or four close-ups of certain guys that you knew were being respectful to the moment, to the flag." He added ESPN's decision not to air the protest "was to the point where you noticed it” as a fan, because the net "did not show the two teams lining up.” Esiason rhetorically asked, “Why would ESPN do it the way they did it last night?” Carton: “Because they were probably mandated to do it.” Esiason: “You want to be an NFL partner? Guess what: Enough already.” CBS tomorrow night is airing 49ers-Cardinals, and Esiason -- who is part of CBS' Sunday afternoon studio show -- said it would be "interesting" to see how the net covers the Anthem with the presence of 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick. Carton said, "You guys will show it and you’d show Kaepernick.” Esiason: “That’s the story.” Carton noted CBS is likely to have a "camera right in that dude’s grill, because it’s still a part of the story” ("Boomer & Carton," WFAN-AM, 10/4).
