When Did NFL Players Start Standing for the National Anthem?
A look at when NFL players started standing for the national anthem, and why some players are now choosing to kneel.
A Brief History of the National Anthem
The National Anthem has been a part of professional football since the early days of the National Football League. The NFL’s first game was played on October 3, 1920, between the Rock Island Independents and the Decatur Staleys, and the Star-Spangled Banner was played before the game. However, it wasn’t until 2009 that every NFL player began standing for the National Anthem. Let’s take a look at how this tradition started.
“The Star-Spangled Banner” is written
The “The Star-Spangled Banner” is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from “Defence of Fort M’Henry”, a poem written on September 14, 1814, by the then 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British ships of the Royal Navy in Baltimore Harbor during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812. Key was inspired by the large American flag, with 15 stars and 15 stripes, known as the Star-Spangled Banner, flying triumphantly above the fort during the U.S. victory.
“The Star-Spangled Banner” becomes the national anthem
It wasn’t until 1931 that “The Star-Spangled Banner” officially became the national anthem of the United States. Prior to that, a number of songs were used as patriotic anthems, including “Hail, Columbia” and “Yankee Doodle.” The popularity of “The Star-Spangled Banner” as a national anthem can be traced back to the War of 1812, when it was sung by American soldiers as they marched into battle. The song was also played at a number of sporting events, including baseball games and prizefights.
In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson ordered that “The Star-Spangled Banner” be played at military and naval occasions. And in 1918, during the final months of World War I, the song was played at every military installation in the United States. Following the war, interest in the song continued to grow. In 1931, Congress passed a joint resolution declaring “The Star-Spangled Banner” to be the national anthem of the United States.
The NFL and the National Anthem
The NFL has a long history of players standing for the national anthem. However, this tradition was not always the case. In fact, it wasn’t until 2009 that the NFL made it mandatory for players to stand for the national anthem. Let’s take a look at the history of the national anthem in the NFL.
Players begin standing for the national anthem
The practice of players standing for the national anthem before NFL games began in 2009, according to the league’s game operations manual.
The manual states that “players on the field and bench area should stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their left hand, and refrain from talking” during the performance of the “Star-Spangled Banner.”
It’s unclear when exactly this rule was put into place, but it was included in the 2009 version of the manual, which was obtained by USA TODAY Sports. The manual is revised annually.
The NFL did not respond to a request for comment.
Players standing for the anthem has been a point of contention in recent years, particularly after Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the 2016 season to protest racial inequality and police brutality.
Other players followed suit, and President Donald Trump even weighed in on the issue, saying players who kneel should be fired.
The kneeling protests have largely died down since then, but some players have continued to take a knee or raise a fist during the anthem.
Colin Kaepernick kneels during the national anthem
In 2016, Colin Kaepernick, then a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, began kneeling during the national anthem as a way to protest police brutality and racial inequality. His actions sparked a nationwide conversation about patriotism and free speech, and he became a polarizing figure in the NFL.
Other players followed Kaepernick’s lead, and by the 2018 season, kneeling during the anthem had become a widespread protest among NFL players. In response, President Donald Trump called on NFL owners to fire any “son of a bitch” who kneels during the anthem, and many fans began boycotting the league.
The following season, the NFL approved a new policy that requires all players to stand for the anthem or stay in the locker room. The policy was met with criticism from players and others who saw it as an attack on free speech, and several players filed a lawsuit against the league. The issue remains unresolved, and it continues to be one of the most divisive topics in sports.
Players continue to kneel during the national anthem
Since 2016, when then-49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick first took a knee during the National Anthem as a protest against racial injustice, other players have continued the protests. In September, more than 200 players kneeled or sat during the anthem, prompting criticism from President Donald Trump.
The NFL has said that players are required to stand during the anthem, but has not yet implemented a rule requiring them to do so. In November, the league said it would donate $100 million to causes supporting social justice.
