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Jerry Jones: Cowboys players will be benched for ‘disrespecting’ the flag

By Chris Perez
October 8, 2017 11:44pm

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says he will bench players for “disrespecting the flag” during the national anthem.

The threat came Sunday following the team’s 35-31 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

“If there’s anything that is disrespectful to the flag, then we will not play,” Jones told reporters after the game.

“Understand? We will not,” he said. “If we are disrespecting the flag, then we will not play. Period…We’re going to respect the flag and I’m going to create the perception of it. And we have.”

Jones went on to defend Vice President Mike Pence for his decision to walk out of Sunday’s 49ers-Colts game after more than 20 players took a knee during the national anthem.

“We cannot in the NFL in any way give the implication that we tolerate disrespecting the flag,” Jones said. “I know the vice president did leave, because in his opinion the teams were. We know that there is a serious debate in this country about those issues, but there is no question in my mind that the National Football League and the Dallas Cowboys are going to stand up for the flag. Just so we’re clear.”

The longtime NFL owner and general manager continued, “I’m saying our vice president, if in his opinion, there’s disrespect of the flag then he should express himself however he wants to say. He’s got rights, too. He felt that not standing for the flag is disrespectful. I do, too. The league in my mind should absolutely take the rules we’ve got on the books and make sure that we do not give the perception that we’re disrespecting the flag.”

While hundreds of NFL players have taken a knee during the national anthem in recent weeks, no Cowboys have taken part. Defensive lineman David Irving and Damontre Moore did raise their fist on Sunday as the song was ending, but they remained standing.

Jones told the Dallas Morning News that he was unaware of their actions.

“We as a team are very much on the page together,” he said. “We made our expression. I’m very supportive of the team, but under no circumstances will the Dallas Cowboys — I don’t care what happens — under no circumstances will we as an organization, coaches, players, not support and stand and recognize and honor the flag. Period.”

The demonstrations were sparked last season by former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who claimed to be protesting against police brutality. They have since morphed into shows of solidarity after President Trump called on teams to fire players who take part.

Jones has been one of several owners to join their squads in kneeling before the anthem — and then standing up once the flag was displayed.

His statements came just weeks after reports emerged saying high school football coaches across the country had been ordering their players to stand or face punishment.

The NFLPA released a statement later in the evening in response to Jones’ comments, defending the protests and NFL players’ constitutional rights to kneel.

“We should not stifle these discussions and cannot allow our rights to become subservient to the very opinions our Constitution protects,” the statement said. “That is what makes us the land of the free and home of the brave.”

http://nypost.com/2017/10/08/jerry-jones-cowboys-players-will-be-benched-for-disrespecting-the-flag/