Any player who kneels during the anthem should be fired on the spot—no exceptions, no second chances. That may sound harsh to some, but to many Americans, it’s a necessary stand. The national anthem is not just a song—it is a symbol of everything this country stands for: freedom, sacrifice, unity, and pride. When the anthem plays, we’re not just honoring a melody; we’re paying respect to the generations of men and women who fought, bled, and died so we could enjoy the privileges of liberty. To kneel during that moment is to spit in the face of those sacrifices.
Professional athletes are not ordinary citizens when they step onto the field. They are representatives of their teams, their fans, and in many ways, the country that gave them the opportunity to succeed. They are public figures with massive platforms and salaries that most people can’t even dream of. With that privilege comes responsibility. They are paid to play a game, to entertain, and to carry themselves with dignity—especially in moments as significant as the national anthem.
When a player kneels, it sends a message. And regardless of what they say their intent is, the message received by millions is one of disrespect. It says, “I reject the values this country represents.” It says, “My personal grievance matters more than national unity.” That’s not protest—that’s selfishness. And when done in uniform, on the field, during a moment that belongs to all Americans, it becomes a slap in the face to the country as a whole.
We live in a free country. No one is saying these athletes can’t speak their minds or protest on their own time. They absolutely can. That’s what freedom means. They can hold press conferences, write books, give interviews, donate money, organize rallies—whatever they want. But there’s a time and a place. And the anthem, in the stadium, before a game, in front of fans and families who came to watch a sporting event—not a political demonstration—is not the time or the place.
Firing players who kneel isn’t about silencing dissent; it’s about maintaining standards. Employers have rules. Every company in America has expectations for how their employees represent them in public. If you wore your company uniform to a political rally and embarrassed your employer, you’d likely be fired. If you cursed out your customers, you’d be fired. Sports teams are no different. When you wear that jersey, you represent something bigger than yourself. And if you choose to kneel and disrespect the anthem, you are choosing to break that trust.
This isn’t about race. This isn’t about politics. This is about respect—respect for the country, respect for the people who protect it, and respect for the millions of fans who see the anthem as sacred. Many of those fans are veterans or families of those who served. To them, the flag isn’t an abstract idea—it’s personal. They buried friends under that flag. They stood at attention for it in combat zones. They saluted it with pride. To see a millionaire athlete kneel in defiance of it feels like betrayal.
Team owners and league officials need to stop pretending this is complicated. It’s not. If someone can’t stand for two minutes out of respect for the country that gave them everything, they don’t deserve the privilege of being on that field. It doesn’t matter how talented they are. Principles matter more than points. And sending a clear message—that this kind of disrespect will not be tolerated—is long overdue.
We’ve already seen what happens when this behavior goes unchecked. It spreads. It becomes normalized. Before long, what used to be a rare gesture becomes a routine spectacle. The anthem is turned into a stage for protest, and sports fans are alienated. Stadiums grow tense instead of celebratory. People start to feel like they can’t enjoy a game without having politics shoved in their faces. That’s not what sports are supposed to be about. Sports should unite, not divide. They should be about teamwork, talent, and competition—not ideological stunts.
It’s time to restore a sense of pride and discipline. Fire any player who kneels during the anthem. No warnings. No apologies accepted after the fact. This isn’t a gray area—it’s a matter of basic respect. If you can’t stand for your country, you shouldn’t be allowed to play for it, profit from it, or use its spotlight for your own agenda.
This country is not perfect—no country is. But the flag and the anthem represent our shared ideals: liberty, justice, and the pursuit of a better future. If we tear down those symbols, we lose the glue that holds us together. And if we allow public figures to disrespect them without consequence, we send the wrong message to the next generation—that loyalty and gratitude don’t matter, that personal protest is more important than national unity.
So yes, let’s say it loudly and clearly: stand for the anthem, or stand outside the team. Let the field be a place of pride again. Let the anthem mean something again. And let the people know that some lines should not be crossed—not even by their favorite athletes.
