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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Barry Werner

Mike Ditka roars: ‘If you can’t respect our national anthem, get the hell out of the country’

Former Chicago Bears legend and current owner chairman of the X League, a women’s pro football league, has strong opinions about athletes kneeling during the national anthem.

The Hall of Famer said if it were up to him, he would not have players in his league kneeling in his league, while admitting to being old-fashioned.

Per TMZ.com:

“If you can’t respect our national anthem, get the hell out of the country,” Ditka said. “That’s the way I feel. Of course, I’m old fashioned, so I’m only going to say what I feel.

“You don’t protest against the flag and you don’t protest against this country who’s given you the opportunities to make a living playing a sport that you never thought would happen. So, I don’t want to hear all the crap.”

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