The NFL kneeling saga has no doubt been a contentious issue, and one that has been plastered all over the news nightly. In recent times, the NFL has faced a monumental task of trying to solve the kneeling debacle. Now I wouldn’t be the first to say, this wasn’t an easy feat. As a fan of the game, I’ve had a front row seat since the start.
For those out of the loop, the anthem protests started back in 2016 when then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem as a way to express his belief regarding police brutality toward people of color. This sparked what became an NFL revolution with many players following suit.
Though some people saw this protest as disrespectful, I choose to look at it in a different light. I mean, protesting for a cause is not something that is typically seen in NFL culture. The players putting their reputations and livelihoods on the line for what they saw as a greater good was downright inspiring. It showcased raw courage.
But the biggest statement the players were trying to make had to do with equality and justice. And by kneeling, the players wanted to make sure that these issues affected by race were as front and center as possible. I commend them for that.
So, has the NFL solved the kneeling problem? To a certain extent Yes. For example, the NFL and the NFL Players Association collectively agreed that any player on the sidelines must stand for the national anthem. The NFL also committed to a $90 million dollar fund over seven years to social justice initiatives.
At the same time however, it appears the league has somewhat ignored the real issue here. To me, this is a much deeper issue than standing for the national anthem and some of the initiatives the league has brought forward don’t directly confront the real issues of inequality and unconscious bias.
The NFL in my opinion needs to look closer at the issue of racism and how it has impacted the game, both on and off the field. The league could be doing more in terms of educating players, staff and fans on the impact of racism and unconscious bias on all levels.
My sense is that the NFL still have a long way to go to address the kneeling problem, but I believe a lot of progress has and will be made. The issue of racism is deeply rooted so uprooting it won’t be easy. Nevertheless, I’m hopeful that the NFL will continue to make proactive steps towards solving the problem and taking actionable measures to ensure progress.
Now that we’ve come to terms with the concept that the problem is far from solved, the question then turns to what can be done to further confront the kneeling issue. I would start off by acknowledging that tackling racism and promoting equality is not a one-off process, but rather a cycle that should be constantly worked on. To that end, I would suggest that the NFL look for further ways to educate its audience on the topics of racism, discrimination and unconscious bias.
Another way to continue to confront the kneeling issue could be to get players involved in the conversations that the NFL is having with organizations and authorities in the US. By including the players in the discussions, they can be an important voice and one that needs to be heard loud and clear.
Another promising step would be to create programs designed to talk about racism openly. This could involve anything from seminars and talks to podcasts and documentaries. Furthermore, an independent panel should be set up to look at these important issues and to ensure transparency and fairness.
It is also critical that the NFL take a hard line when it comes to action taken against any players accused of racism in any way. This may be having the teams involved show a united front and take a team-wide stance if any of these accusations arise. This could prove to be a tangible way of showing the players and the general public that their voices are being heard.
In summary, I believe that the NFL has indeed made some strides towards solving the kneeling problem, although I think there is still much more work to be done. But if the NFL does take the right steps and set up the right processes, I’m confident it can help to bring about real and lasting change for all sports fans.