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One of the hottest topics of the offseason has been the idea of NFL players kneeling during the national anthem. It started all the way back in 2016 with Colin Kaepernick's attempt to bring awareness to racial injustice. With the recent Black Lives Matter protests, the discussion to kneel is now back in vogue. Mike Ditka, the former player and coach of the Chicago Bears, had some strong words for players that kneel during the anthem.
In a conversation with TMZ Sports, Ditka shared his disappointment in players that decide to kneel during the playing of the anthem:
“If you can't respect our national anthem, get the hell out of the country,” he said. “That's the way I feel. Of course, I'm old fashioned, so I'm only going to say what I feel.”
Following the death of George Floyd in police custody, it ignited a conversation around the world about racial injustice. Furthermore, NFL players around the league spoke out on what needs to happen for changes to occur.
With the impending return of play, multiple players and coaches have expressed their decision to kneel during the anthem in 2020. There's definitely a disconnect between different sides here. Ditka believes the idea of kneeling is a sign of disrespect toward the country.
However ask any advocate of the act and they'll tell you the exact opposite. For them kneeling has less to do with disrespecting the flag, and more about just taking a visible stand.
Regardless of everyone's views on kneeling, it's safe to say Mike Ditka isn't a fan of the idea himself.
“You don't protest against the flag, and you don't protest against this country who's given you the opportunities to make a living playing a sport that you never thought would happen,” Ditka added. “So, I don't want to hear all the crap.”
