There has been a great deal of controversy going on lately within the NFL and has drawn in national attention onto the league. The reason? The large-scale protest over President Trump’s tweet several weeks ago. President Trump claimed players should stand up for the anthem or else be fired from the owners.

Now, he put it in a much more harsher way, but you can go look at the actual tweet yourself. Many Americans have been divided about this as some claim players should stand no matter as kneeling for it in protest is disrespectful no matter what. While the other side claims that it is the players freedom of speech and expression and the right to protest peacefully therefore what they are doing is fine and they should continue to do it to protest several movements.

The recent spark in protests more than likely happened due to President Trump’s recent tweet, however, this form has protest has been going for well over a year now.

It all began last NFL season with Colin Kaepernick back when he was still playing quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. Kaepernick stunned NFL fans as he sat for the national anthem, this was something that people have never seen before or at least didn’t get as much attention as when Colin Kaepernick had done it over a year ago. Since then players have done similar things either by sitting, kneeling, or staying in the locker room when the National Anthem is playing.

As controversial as it is many people are wondering whether the NFL or team owners can force players to stand up as obviously the government doesn’t have that ability. The answer may surprise you. The NFL cannot force its players to stand for the anthem, however, team owners have that right to make their players stand or else the players can receive punishment or the owner can fire any player that protests.

The reason for this is due to the contract that NFL players sign that states, according to a legal analyst done by Sports Illustrated, that a player who doesn’t “conduct himself on and off the field with appropriate recognition of the fact that the success of professional football depends largely on public respect for and approval of those associated with the game,” as well as anyone who “has engaged in personal conduct reasonably judged by Club to adversely affect or reflect on Club” can be subjected to be fired.

So, any player that may commit an action that brings negative attention to any team gives the owner of that team the right to fire that player. However, every owner in the NFL supports their players and their players right to freedom of speech and right to protest so the odds of that happening are very slim. If you feel players should stand or feel the players are doing the right thing I think we all can agree on one thing as football fans. Let’s start focusing on the game and enjoy our favorite teams playing as we all have done many times before and leave this issue to the players and the organizations they are a part of to deal with.