The National Football League (NFL) is taking a stand to ensure that they don’t end up with any more Colin Kaepernicks. The league issued strict new guidelines that ban NFL draft participants from wearing clothing with political statements, among other things.

NFL Bans Clothing With Political Statements From Draft

The highly anticipated NFL draft for the next football season is set to take place virtually starting on Thursday, April 23rd. The NFL draft will be simulcast across ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network, April 23-25. 

According to the NFL.com website, the 2020 draft will also serve as fundraiser to benefit charities supporting coronavrius and related efforts.

Most notably, this year any NFL prospect who hopes to be drafted cannot wear clothing with political statements, shirts with messages that are overtly sexual or violent, or clothing that promotes a brand not affiliated with the NFL. 

A memo released by the NFL specifically stated that no clothing with “libel or hate speech” or featuring “political statements” will be allowed at the virtual draft.

This sends a clear message to anyone hoping to become the next Kaepernick that they will not be allowed to use the NFL as a political platform from which to push their radical views. 

Other restrictions for NFL prospects include no clothing that features “racial, religious, or ethnic slurs,” “explicit language” or “obscene, pornographic (or escort services), violent (including firearms or other weapons), or sexual imagery.”

They also can’t wear clothing that includes “disparaging depictions of the NFL” or “defamatory statements regarding the NFL, its owners, employees and/or NFL partners.”

While this year’s draft dress code also prohibits “third party logos”, that does not apply to NFL partners like Nike, Adidas, etc.

Banning political statements is a definite step in the right direction. Maybe fortune will favor the bold and Nike will fall under the prohibited category next year. 

Colin Kaepernick Used NFL As Political Platform

Why does this matter?

No doubt you remember Colin Kaepernick’s infamous national anthem protests. The out-of-work quarterback lead a national movement to disrespect our anthem and everything it stands for.

Kaepernick was the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers back in 2016 when he first sat out the anthem.

He then took a knee during the national anthem before every NFL game. Kaepernick claimed that his kneeling during the national anthem was in protest to racial inequality in America.

Many Americans, however, saw this as disrespect to the American flag and those who fought and died for it.

RELATED: ‘SportsCenter’ Account Tweets Colin Kaepernick Signed By New York Jets And All H*ll Breaks Loose

Kaepernick left the 49ers at the end of that season. But the blowback from Kaepernick’s protests turned into a longstanding political nightmare for the NFL.

Leftwing fans of the former pro quarterback cite league ‘racism’ as the reason Kaepernick was not signed by another team.

On the flip side, however, others say that he lead the 49ers to a shameful losing record that final season.

So just maybe Kaepernick’s continued unemployment has to do with talent and not the color of his skin?

NFL Takes Action

Daily Wire reported that the league enacted a policy that effectively banned political statements on the field and forced players to either stand for the anthem or stay in the locker room.

“We want people to be respectful of the national anthem,” commissioner Roger Goodell said at the time. “We want people to stand — that’s all personnel — and make sure they treat this moment in a respectful fashion. That’s something we think we owe. [But] we were also very sensitive to give players choices.”

RELATED: Colin Kaepernick Suffers Further Humiliation: He Was ‘Never Really Considered’ For XFL

The entire Kaepernick situation was a major nightmare for the NFL.  So I, for one, am glad to see them taking steps to ensure it won’t happen again.

When Americans turn on a football game, the last thing they want to see is a political ploy.

NFL is on the right track. Now let’s stick to the sport. After all, nobody wants to be lectured about politics by overpaid athletes. 

Mentioned in this article:

More About: