Cowboys owner Jerry Jones: Trump intends to win anthem debate

[May 31, 2018]  President Donald Trump intends to be on the winning side of the national anthem debate.

That is what Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a sworn deposition as part of Colin Kaepernick's grievance against NFL owners, according to an article published Wednesday by The Wall Street Journal.

Jones said Trump made it clear he was very concerned about players who were protesting during the national anthem.

"This is a very winning, strong issue for me," Trump told Jones, according to the deposition. "Tell everybody, you can't win this one. This one lifts me."

The anthem debate has created a firestorm ever since Kaepernick declined to kneel for it during the 2016 preseason.

Kaepernick wasn't employed by an NFL team last season and has charged that he was blackballed due to his anthem stance. The quarterback has said he was protesting social injustice issues.

The NFL announced last week that players must stand for the anthem if they are out on the field of play. Otherwise, they are permitted to remain in the locker room during the anthem.

Teams will be fined if there are players who don't stand and show proper respect during the anthem.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones kneels with players prior to the national anthem prior to the game against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, U.S., September 25, 2017. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo

Also in the disposition, Jones said "you cannot piss off a large percentage of your constituency."

Jones was reluctant to give credit to Trump but said, "I recognize he's the president of the United States."

--Field Level Media

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