EDEN PRAIRIE, MN – Minnesota Viking owners Zygi and Mark Wilf and the entire Wilf family today said they are OK with players protesting during NFL games after the President advised owners to fire players who make statements.
Among other hotly-debated statements made Friday at an Alabama campaign rally, President Donald Trump weighed in on a touchy subject – NFL players who take a knee during the National Anthem as a form of protest. He said “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. He is fired. He’s fired!’”
In response, many more NFL players Sunday are protesting at games; the entire Pittsburgh Steelers team didn’t take the field for the National Anthem, and some teams all took a knee.
Closer to home, the Minnesota Vikings owners finally released a statement on the matter:
Professional sports offer a platform unlike any other, a platform that can bring people from a variety of backgrounds together to impact positive change in our society. As owners, it is our job to foster an environment that recognizes and appreciates diversity of thought and encourages using this platform in a constructive manner. Rather than make divisive statements, we believe in promoting thoughtful, inspiring conversation that unifies our communities. We are proud of our players, coaches and staff for the important role they play in our community, and we fully support their constitutional right to respectfully and peacefully express their beliefs.
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