President Trump on Friday encouraged NFL owners to fire any player who protests during the national anthem, telling them to “get that son of a b—- off the field right now.”
Trump, speaking at a Huntsville, Ala., rally in support of incumbent Sen. Luther Strange, railed against protesting players.
“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, say, ‘Get that son of a b—- off the field right now. Out, you’re fired!’ “
While Trump didn’t mention former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick by name, many saw him as the President’s main target.
Responding to a journalist’s tweet about Trump’s comments, Kaepernick’s mother Teresa wrote “Guess that makes me a proud b—-!”
“Prediction: Not one NFL owner, not Roger Goodell will say one word about what [Trump] said about Kaep or other NFL players. Not. A. One,” ESPN’s Jemele Hill also tweeted.
Kaepernick refused to stand during the national anthem in a protest against police brutality in August 2016.
While he was widely criticized by those who saw his actions as un-American, he also inspired many other athletes to do the same.
Trump also complained to the cheering crowd that football games have become less violent.
“They’re ruining the game,” he said.
He bemoaned players being thrown from games for aggressive tackles, saying it’s “not the same game.”
The NFL has increased penalties and enforcement for illegal hits to the head, as well as those for hitting defenseless players, in light of several studies that have shown a connection to severe brain trauma.
Ratings for the NFL have dropped in recent years for a variety of reasons, but Trump placed the blame squarely on the protesting players.
“You know what’s hurting the game?” he said. “When people like yourselves turn on television and you see those people taking the knee when they’re playing our great national anthem.”
He revved up the Alabama crowd with his rhetoric.
“That’s a total disrespect of our heritage. That’s a total disrespect of everything that we stand for,” he said.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter Bernice King balked at Trump’s assessment.
“A nation is people, not a symbol. A protest for the eradication of racism that violates millions of those people is not disrespect,” she tweeted.
Kaepernick also has the support of Minnesota Vikings running back Bishop Sankey.
“It’s a shame and disgrace when you have the President of the US calling citizens of the country sons of b——,” Sankey tweeted.
Donald Trump Jr., on the other hand, supported his father’s remarks.
“Love this: @realDonaldTrump on NFL players disrespecting our flag/anthem: ‘get that son of a b—- off the field right now — YOU’RE FIRED!’ ” he wrote.
Kaepernick opted out of his contract with the 49ers in May 2017 and has been working as an activist while he remains unsigned.
Trump has previously taken credit for Kaepernick’s free agent status, and criticized his protest by saying he should “find a new country that works better for him.”
“Trump stay in ur place… football have nothing to do wit u smh,” tweeted Washington linebacker Zach Brown.
ESPN’s Hill found herself in a similar position last week when White House officials called for her dismissal after she sent a tweet referring to Trump as a “white supremacist.”
