In an effort to end the ongoing debate around standing or kneeling during the national anthem prior to NFL games, Commissioner Roger Goodell wrote a letter to team executives saying the league needs “to move past this controversy” and that a plan for doing so would be discussed at a league meeting next week.
Goodell offered no details on the plan, but said “like many of our fans, we believe that everyone should stand” during the anthem, and that he wanted the matter resolved “together with our players.”
JUST IN: In letter to NFL owners, Roger Goodell says: "We believe that everyone should stand for the National Anthem." pic.twitter.com/iveGOQgJnz
Goodell made only a vague reference to why the athletes are kneeling ― in protest of police brutality, particularly against unarmed people of color. Instead, he praised players and owners “who have done the hard work over the past year to listen, understand and attempt to address the underlying issues within their communities” ― without specifying what he later termed “critical social issues.”
He asserted that the kneeling “is threatening to erode the unifying power of our game, and is now dividing us, and our players, from many fans across the country.”
“Like many of our fans, we believe that everyone should stand for the National Anthem,” he said. “It is an important moment in our game. We want to honor our flag and our country, and our fans expect that of us. We also care deeply about our players and respect their opinions and concerns about critical social issues. The controversy over the Anthem is a barrier to having honest conversations and making real progress on the underlying issues. We need to move past this controversy, and we want to do that together with our players.”
The letter was sent to all 32 teams.
Protests during the national anthem began last year when then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeled while it played. Although Kaepernick, now a free agent, remains unsigned by any other team, many more players have taken a knee in solidarity ― an act that has led to harsh backlash by some, including President Donald Trump.
Colin Kaepernick (middle) and two teammates kneel during the national anthem last December before a football game in Los Angeles. (Photo: Michael Zagaris via Getty Images)
During a rally last month in Alabama, Trump said of the kneeling protests: “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He’s fired. He’s fired!’”
But Goodell’s letter comes after Vice President Mike Pence last Sunday abruptly left a game in Indianapolis after several players on the visiting 49ers kneeled during the anthem.
Pence tweeted that he left because neither he nor Trump will “dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem.” Minutes later, Trump tweeted that he had instructed Pence to leave the game if players knelt ― leading to speculation the vice president’s appearance was a “political stunt.”
Later Sunday, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he expected all players on his team to stand during the anthem, and that any member of the squad who “disrespects the flag” would be benched.
Goodell ended his letter by saying he looks “forward to a full and open discussion of these issues” when the team owners meet in New York.
“The NFL is at its best when we ourselves are unified,” he wrote.
I warned of Lockett's remarkable ability before last season, and he delivered, totaling 9 touchdowns, including one kick return and one punt return. Expect more from the second-year wideout this season. Lockett's shiftiness and excellent hands make him the ideal target for Russell Wilson, a quarterback whose creative ability outside of the pocket fits Lockett. A 75-catch, 1,100-yard season is very much in the realm of the possibility for the former third-round draft pick out of Kansas State.
John Brown, WR, Arizona Cardinals
Brown -- aptly nicknamed "Smokey" -- isn't just a burner. He's a terrific young receiver who runs good routes and catches just about everything. Expect Carson Palmer to lean on him more this season to be the 1A to Larry Fitzgerald's 1B -- yes, he's that good. The former D2 All-American at Pittsburg State could even be Palmer's top target in this, his third year as a pro. And an 80-catch, 1,300-yard season is not too audacious.
Donte Moncrief, WR, Indianapolis Colts
Moncrief, a stud from Ole Miss, is a 4.4 guy who's flashed during his two years in the NFL but has yet to put his immense talent all together. I see that changing in 2016, his third year as a pro and the expected breakout year for young receivers. Andrew Luck is going to bounce back in a major way, and Moncrief -- who goes 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds -- will benefit. Consider this: Moncrief had just one 5-catch game without Luck last year, but four with Luck.
Phillip Dorsett, WR, Indianapolis Colts
Dorsett is a Miami Hurricane speed demon who flashed as a rookie last year, but lacked consistency and dealt with injury problems. If you buy into the Andrew Luck bounce back hype -- as I do -- then the combination of Moncrief and Dorsett is vital. Dorsett isn't completely unlike T.Y. Hilton -- he's a smaller receiver who can change the game on a dime. The former first-round draft pick should be able to create plenty of mismatches for Luck, and his ability to line up all over the field is another plus.
Jeremy Langford, RB, Chicago Bears
Langford has a chance to be very special. And like fellow Michigan State product Le'Veon Bell, he is a highly versatile, big back. In fact, Langford averaged more yards per carry as a collegian than Bell. The Bears will lean on Langford a lot -- we can't trust Ka'Deem Carey or Jordan Howard -- and if their shaky offensive line is even decent, a 1,000-yard season could be his floor instead of his ceiling.
Kevin White, WR, Chicago Bears
White, like Langford, is a very talented second-year player capable of making electric plays. And unlike during his rookie campaign, White is finally healthy. The former West Virginia standout is big, fast and strong -- just like Alshon Jeffrey -- and Jay Cutler loves to give his receivers chances down the field, particularly in the end zone.
Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Evans had a phenomenal rookie year, only to endure a bit of a sophomore slump in 2015. The 6-foot-5 Texas A&M star -- whom the Bucs took seventh overall in 2014 -- still nabbed 74 balls for over 1,200 yards, but he also led the league in dropped balls with 11. Moreover, his touchdowns went from 12 as a rookie to just 3 last year. However, with one full season working with Jameis Winston, and a healthy Vincent Jackson, expect Evans to bounce back in a big way. He is simply too talented and too motivated not to.
Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Winston is just the third rookie quarterback ever to pass for 4,000 yards, and the youngest ever as well. The good news is that there is ample room for improvement: According to The Ringer, "among quarterbacks with at least 20 red zone attempts, only four had a worse completion percentage than Winston’s 38.9." We should expect an improved season from red-zone monster Mike Evans in 2016, and Winston, with one year of pro football under his belt, will be better as well.
Robert Griffin III, QB, Cleveland Browns
Griffin will be the Browns' 25th starting quarterback since 1999 -- the most in the NFL. As I wrote about last week and discussed on the NFL Network, his long ball is a strength, and the addition of Josh Gordon could prove to be all the difference.
Eddie Lacy, RB, Green Bay Packers
Lacy has been called every name in the book: fat, lazy, slow. But after rededicating himself to his body, the former All-Pro has lost a ton of weight and should be in line for a massive bounce back season. The Packers want to pound the ball and not be the one-dimensional disappointment of 2015. Lacy is a great screen back who -- when fit -- is capable of ripping off huge plays.
Melvin Gordon, RB, San Diego Chargers
Gordon was one of the most dominant running backs in college football history during his tenure at Wisconsin. He then turned in a total dud performance as a rookie on a bad San Diego team, shockingly failing to find the end zone while averaging a measly 3.5 yards per carry. But remember that the Chargers ranked 31st in run blocking, per Football Outsiders. This year, Gordon will be buoyed by the hiring of new OC Ken Whisenhunt, who loves to run the football. Gordon is simply too talented not to bust out in year two.
Lamar Miller, RB, Houston Texans
Miller's dynamic, home-run ability sometimes overshadows his consistency, which is unfair. Over the past two seasons, the former Miami Hurricane has out-produced All-Pro Le'Veon Bell and outscored him by five touchdowns. Granted, Bell has missed time, but it shows just how good Miller was with the Dolphins. Texans coach Bill O'Brien loves to pound the ball, and Miller will be the prime beneficiary.
DeAndre Washington, RB, Oakland Raiders
I still expect big things from Latavius Murray, but the Raiders have a gem in the 5-foot-8, 205-pound Washington. The rookie comes from the spread attack of Texas Tech -- he has shown the ability to catch the ball, which is a boon for offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave, and his bowling bowl running style differs from the much bigger Murray's. The Raiders will use him in the screen game to help Derek Carr, and he will get his fair share of carries as well, where his quick feet and toughness will make an impact.
Tyrod Taylor, QB, Buffalo Bills
The Virginia Tech product surprised a lot of people -- myself included -- by stringing together a productive first season as an NFL starter. Taylor's a very good decision-maker -- he had just six picks all year -- and his legs allow him to escape trouble. He ran for 568 yards with four touchdowns last season, a good portion of which came on designed runs. Taylor's rapport with Sammy Watkins is undeniable, and an uptick in production this season seems likely.
Sammy Watkins, WR, Buffalo Bills
Watkins is an athletic marvel oozing with talent -- he simply has not been healthy enough to display it. As previously mentioned, though, his connection with Tyrod Taylor is special. Blessed with world-class speed and playmaking ability, the dynamic Watkins should produce a monstrous third season for the Bills. During the 11 games he played in full last year, Watkins amassed 960 yards and 8 touchdowns. Those measure out to All-Pro receiving numbers with a full 16 games.
Tyler Boyd, WR, Cincinnatti Bengals
Boyd was a one-man wrecking crew at Pitt for three years and the Bengals rewarded the speedster by selecting him in the second round. Cincy acquired free agent Brendan LaFell to replace the departed Marvin Jones and Muhamed Sanu -- and their 152 combined targets -- but Boyd's stellar preseason has turned heads. He will see plenty of action and Andy Dalton will rely on him to make big plays inside the 20s, particularly with the question marks surrounding injured touchdown magnet Tyler Eifert.
Carlos Hyde, RB, San Francisco 49ers
Hyde is an ideal bell cow for Chip Kelly in San Francisco, in that he is a one-cut runner with just enough wiggle to find success. The popular misconception of Kelly is that he's some renegade head coach who only wants to throw. Not true. Kelly loves to establish the run to set up the pass, and Hyde -- an Ohio State product -- is a physical runner who can provide stability for whomever is under center for the 49ers. Consider this: "Per Pro Football Focus, he forced 32 forced missed tackles on 115 attempts last season, which was the league's best rate among backs with more than 50 carries."
Vance McDonald, TE, San Francisco 49ers
I was going to use the Saints' Coby Fleener here, but McDonald is much more of an unknown. Chip Kelly loves to employ the tight end. McDonald is a former second-rounder with a ton of ability who has never been given an opportunity to be a pass-catcher. His athleticism and size -- McDonald runs 6-foot-4 and 267 pounds -- arguably make him San Francisco's best red zone target. Expect Kelly to embrace him.
Our final 2024 mock draft projects four quarterbacks in the first five picks, but the Cardinals at No. 4 might represent the key pivot point of the entire board.
