A group of disgruntled Carolina Panthers players will meet with team owner Jerry Richardson on Tuesday to discuss his rules against protesting perceived social injustices during the national anthem, Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer reports.
Protests took place throughout the NFL on Sunday, with many players kneeling or linking arms during the anthem, but the Panthers were noticeably uninvolved in the demonstrations. Julius Peppers was the only member of the team absent from the field during the pregame ceremony.
According to the report, many members of the Panthers fear possible repercussions if they speak out on social issues.
After initially planning not to respond to President Donald Trump's remarks calling for NFL owners to fire players who protested during the anthem, Richardson issued a statement Monday.
"We are proud of the men we have on this football team," he said. "Our players have been active and impactful participants in making our community stronger. From the first time I stepped into an NFL locker room at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore in 1959, I have lived and seen the sport's ability to bring people of all backgrounds together. Politicizing the game is damaging and takes the focus off the greatness of the game itself and those who played it."
Richardson is the only current NFL owner who played in the league.
