The day before Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones received presidential support for his policy stating that Cowboys players would stand for the national anthem, he got support from another critical constituency, his own players.
After practice on Thursday, Cowboys defensive end Taco Charlton made it clear that he has no problem following Jones’ rules on anthem conduct.
“He’s the boss. That’s above my pay grade,” Charlton said. “. . . He said he wanted us to stand up. I don’t have a problem with that. I understand where he’s coming from. . . . I respect what he says. I have no problem with it.”
Jones made headlines earlier this week, when he told reporters that Cowboys players would stand for the anthem. A stance that got re-affirmed by his son, Cowboys Executive Vice President Stephen Jones, in a Thursday radio interview when he explicitly stated that standing for the anthem is a requirement, not a request.
Another Cowboys defender, linebacker Sean Lee, also stated his desire to show respect for the flag and anthem.
“I think I’m going to do what I’ve always done and stand,” Lee said. “Obviously, I believe that there’s social injustice that needs to change in this country that’s very serious. But I also believe that I’m going to stand for the anthem, because I feel like I’m blessed to be an American, and I’m blessed to have two grandfathers who served. These ideas are not mutually exclusive.
“I know one thing: Our locker room has stayed united. We’ve respected everybody’s opinion. We’re going to be a group that stays united and works toward a common goal.”
The NFL and NFL Players Association are still working on crafting a long-term policy on anthem conduct. The sides hope to produce a resolution before the start of the preseason.
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter @themightygwinn
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