NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell responded to President Trump's comments, saying they "demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL, our great game and all of our players, and a failure to understand the overwhelming force for good our clubs and players represent in our communities" (NFL). An NFLPA statement: "The line that marks the balance between the rights of every citizen in our great country gets crossed when someone is told to just 'shut up and play.' ... No man or woman should ever have to choose a job that forces them to surrender their rights" (NFLPA).
At press time, many NFL organizations put out statements on Trump's comments. Excerpts include:
- Falcons' Arthur Blank: "Creating division or demonizing viewpoints that are different than our own accomplishes nothing positive."
- Patriots' Robert Kraft: "I am deeply disappointed by the tone of the comments made by the President on Friday. ... Our players are intelligent, thoughtful and care deeply about our community."
- Dolphins' Stephen Ross: "Our country needs unifying leadership right now, not more divisiveness."
- Texans' Bob McNair: "I hope the reaction from our players results in positive action for our league."
- 49ers' Jed York: "The callous and offensive comments made by the President are contradictory to what this great country stands for."
- Giants' John Mara and Steve Tisch: "Comments like we heard last night from the president are inappropriate, offensive and divisive."
- Bills' Terry and Kim Pegula: "President Trump's remarks were divisive and disrespectful to the entire NFL community."
- Jaguars' Shahid Khan: "Our team and the National Football League reflects our nation, with diversity coming in many forms -- race, faith, our views and our goals."
- Raiders' Mark Davis: "I can no longer ask our team to not say something while they are in a Raider uniform. The only thing I can ask them to do is do it with class."
- Ravens' Steve Bisciotti: "We recognize our players' influence. We respect their demonstration and support them 100 percent."
- Titans' Amy Adams Strunk: "I am proud to stand with our players and support them in their work on and off the field."
- Rams' Stan Kroenke: "We are proud of the work that our players and all NFL players do to make our communities better places to live."
- Colts' Jim Irsay: "I am troubled by the President's recent comments about our league and our players."
- Seahawks' Peter McLoughlin: "We fully support our players' use of their freedom of speech and peaceful action to highlight the existing racial and other divides in our country."
- Bears' George McCaskey: "The Chicago Bears are proud to support our players, coaches and all members of our organization to bring peace and unity together through football."
- Vikings' Zygi and Mark Wilf: "We are proud of our players, coaches and staff for the important role they play in our community."
- Browns' Jimmy and Dee Haslam: "We must not let misguided, uninformed and divisive comments from the President or anyone else deter us from our efforts to unify."
- Bucs' Joel Glazer: "We are equally committed to the principles of inclusivity and respect for differing points of view that should be afforded to all Americans."
- Eagles' Jeffrey Lurie: "Every day I see the genuine dedication and hard work of our players."
- Chargers' Dean Spanos: "The NFL and its players, more than anything, have been a force for good."
- Broncos' Joe Ellis: "We could not be more proud, appreciative and grateful for our players."
- Packers' Mark Murphy: "It's unfortunate that the president decided to use his immense platform to make divisive and offensive statements about our players and the NFL."
- Lions' Martha Firestone Ford: "Our game has long provided a powerful platform for dialogue and positive change in many communities."
- A Saints statement reads: "Our organization takes great pride in equality and inclusion and find the comments by the President disappointing and inappropriate relative to our players on this issue" (Mult., 9/24).
- Jets said that they would "not be making any kind of statement." Woody Johnson is now the U.S. ambassador to the U.K. (NYDAILYNEWS.com, 9/23).
- A Panthers spokesperson said that Owner Jerry Richardson "would not be issuing a statement" (CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.com, 9/23).
- Steelers' Art Rooney II: "The commissioner made an appropriate statement and I have nothing to add at this time" (POST-GAZETTE.com, 9/23).
- At presstime, the Bengals, Chiefs, Redskins, Cowboys and Cardinals had yet to make a statement publicly (THE DAILY).
Goodell and NFLPA Exec Dir
DeMaurice Smith spent yesterday on the phone "discussing the comments that the president made and what’s the best way going forward." It is a conversation that has "filtered down to every level of the NFL because all the coaches are handling it" (
“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 9/24).
Goodell and Smith "also spoke" to Eagles CB Malcolm Jenkins, a "leader and activist in the reform for change." Goodell and Smith "recognize that this is an opportunity for the NFL and its players to help unite the country, as it has attempted to do after other challenging times" (
ESPN.com, 9/24). The league and union "united Saturday in a manner unseen in years" (
AP, 9/24). The WASHINGTON POST's Sally Jenkins writes the league and union are "getting it right, striking the perfect calm but resistant tone" (
9/24).
CBS Sports Network’s Amy Trask said, “Each of those owners has different views, different opinions, different methods of running his business and each owner is going to decide how to respond and how to run his business. We did see a lot of continuity in a lot of teams and I have every confidence, because this was my experience, that talking points were sent out. Not as a dictate but that the league probably sent a note to owners saying you know what here are points you can include. It wouldn’t be a mandate, but some talking points” (“That Other Pregame Show,” CBSSN, 9/24).
