Before the first 2017 preseason game Aug. 9, during the National Anthem, Miami Dolphins players Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson both took a knee, and their teammate Robert Quinn even raised a fist. After no players took such action during the Hall of Fame Game Aug. 2, this becomes a sign of things to come this season.
Quickly local police unions registered their disapproval.
On the Facebook page for the Broward County Police Benevolent Association, the organization announced it will be suspending a partnership it had with the team. Initially, the group did so with the understanding the team would be honoring first responders. Following the players’ actions, the BCPBA stated it would no longer participate in a ticket program arranged for its members, and it urged that any tickets already purchased be returned for refunds.
“We are asking all of our members, as well as members of the Dade County PBA and Palm Beach County PBA, not to participate,” the union wrote. Immediately after, the WPBPBA posted the same statement on its social network page.
For the third season in a row, the National Football League is facing the turmoil caused by players staging these protests. What remains to be seen is whether -- also for the third year in a row -- the league experiences a drop in ratings. The owners and their broadcast partners are feeling the effects, and in May they attempted to bring an end to the divisive pregame activities. However, the players union resisted, and league officials backed down.
While maintaining its position players should stand, the NFL stepped back from enforcing any punishments during discussions. “While those discussions continue, the NFL has agreed to delay implementing or enforcing any club work rules that could result in players being disciplined for their conduct during the performance of the anthem.”
There have already been indicators this will be a season-long issue. In other preseason games select players from teams chose to remain in the locker room during the opening ceremony, while Malcolm Jenkins and De’Vante Bausby of the Philadelphia Eagles raised fists. During a post-game interview, Stills commented on the action, saying he had the support of the head coach, Adam Gase.
When he was asked what it would take for him to curtail the pregame protesting, Stills answered, “A lot.”
This issue has become a migraine for the owners and NFL officials, and it's unlikely to go away anytime soon. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Zak Prescott made comments in support of his team’s policy requiring players to stand, and he has received plenty of backlash for his statements. It doesn't bode well going forward.
President Donald Trump once again waded into the fray. Following the Dolphins players' actions, and those of other teams, the president tweeted out his opposition to kneeling. “They should be standing proudly for the National Anthem.”
Colin Kaepernick began the practice of kneeling in the 2016 pregame frame and once other players joined him, the league experienced pushback from fans. For the first time in nearly a generation there was a drop in attendance. Ratings also took a dive, and in stark fashion that trend continued through last season. The Super Bowl has also experienced consecutive drops in viewership.
The drop in 2016 was a sharp 8 percent. Going into the 2017 season, when the opening weeks showed deep declines, one financial analyst speculated that a drop of an additional 10 percent could amount to a loss of $200 million. The league finished the season down 9.7 percent.
The Miami Dolphins have not shied away from these protests. In 2016 a clutch of players -- including Stills -- took a knee during the season opener. The team was aware ahead of time, issuing a tepid prepared statement that was posted to its Twitter account as the protest action took place. It has been two years now and the league, and players, have yet to come to grips with the concept that they are steering people away from their product.
The reaction by the police unions shows this is being felt in the community as well. While the police are in fact a target of much of this NFL activism, what seems to be fostered here is animosity rather than communication. Lost on those players who declare making a stand against the divisiveness they perceive in the country is that their actions are only sowing further division by angering law enforcement leadership and turning away fan interest.
While still very early to make an assessment on the year going forward, there has already been a negative indicator. The Hall of Fame Game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Chicago Bears was shown on NBC. The rating for that ceremonial kickoff fell a steep 13 percent. For those watching, this can become a long season. The Miami Dolphins seem intent on adding to the strife.
Brad Slager, a Fort Lauderdale freelance writer, wrote this story exclusively for Sunshine State News. He writes on politics and the entertainment industry and his stories appear in such publications as RedState and The Federalist.
