SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ NFL owners will meet next week to discuss how they should handle player protests during the national anthem, but Eric Reid on Wednesday said he's received assurance from 49ers CEO Jed York that he and teammates won't be forced to stand.
"I've talked to Jed," said Reid, who is the 49ers' union representative and who has knelt during every anthem this season. "And he's expressed very clearly that he wants to support us. That he's not going to force us to do anything. Speaking for our team, that's what he's told me explicitly."
Some owners think differently.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Stephen Ross of the Miami Dolphins said this week that their players must stand for the anthem moving forward this season. And a statement from Commissioner Roger Goodell this week urged players to stand during the ceremony.
"Like many of our fans, we believe that everyone should stand for the national anthem," Goodell wrote to teams. "It is an important moment in our game. We want to honor our flag and our country, and our fans expect that of us. We also care deeply about our players and respect their opinions and concerns about critical social issues. The controversy over the anthem is a barrier to having honest conversations and making real progress on the underlying issues. We need to move past this controversy, and we want to do that together with our players."
Goodell said the league is considering giving players a platform during the season to highlight social issues, which have been the subject of their protests.
Reid began kneeling last year next to quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Thirty 49ers knelt with their hands over the hearts before a game in Arizona on Oct. 1 while more than 20 did so Sunday in Indianapolis.
Vice President Mike Pence left the stadium after the anthem and then issued several critical tweets about the team's protest, which further inflamed the issue.
Reid said he didn't think the league could adopt a rule at next week's meeting in New York requiring players to stand unless it is part of collective bargaining. NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith also will attend the meeting.
"I don't know if they can do that," Reid said. "I guess we'll find out soon."
Smoke in the air _ Air quality in Santa Clara was poor Wednesday because of the fires in the North Bay. Kyle Shanahan, however, said he did not consider curbing his team's activity.
"We need to practice," the coach said. "We need to go through there. Hopefully our guys can handle it. I think they'll be able to. I think it's pretty important to get all our reps in at practice."
The 49ers, Raiders, A's, Giants, San Jose Earthquakes, San Jose Sharks and the Golden State Warriors announced a collective donation of $450,000 to help the victims of those fires.
