'He's an idiot': NFL players react to Trump's comments on new anthem policy

Last edited Fri May 25, 2018, 04:22 PM - Edit history (2)

When the NFL announced Wednesday its new policy on player and personnel conduct during pregame renditions of the national anthem, some players complained that they were not consulted about it ahead of time. President Trump gave a few players more to react negatively to Thursday, when he indicated the new policy didn’t go far enough and suggested players who protest during the anthem should be deported.

Those comments were described by the Broncos’ Brandon Marshall as “disgusting,” while the Seahawks’ Doug Baldwin called Trump an “idiot.” Both players criticized the president for creating the impression that differing viewpoints are not to be tolerated.

The new policy mandates that players who are on the sidelines during the anthem be standing, but it allows players the option of remaining in the locker room while the song is performed. Asked about it by Brian Kilmeade of “Fox and Friends,” Trump said, “I don’t think people should be staying in locker rooms, but still I think it’s good.”

“You have to stand proudly for the national anthem or you shouldn’t be playing, you shouldn’t be there, maybe you shouldn’t be in the country,” Trump added. “You have to stand proudly for the national anthem, and the NFL owners did the right thing, if that’s what they’ve done.”

“He’s an idiot. Plain and simple,” Baldwin said. “Listen, I respect the man because he’s a human being, first and foremost. But he’s just being more divisive, which is not surprising. It is what it is.

“For him to say that anybody who doesn’t follow his viewpoints or his constituents’ viewpoints should be kicked out of the country, it’s not very empathetic, it’s not very American-like, actually, to me. It’s not very patriotic,” the two time Pro Bowl wide receiver continued. “It’s not what this country was founded upon. It’s kind of ironic to me that the president of the United States is contradicting what our country is really built on.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/hes-an-idiot-nfl-players-react-to-trumps-comments-on-new-anthem-policy/ar-AAxLQ18?li=BBnba9I