Kneeling for the national anthem could result in a 15-yard penalty in the NFL, according to an idea reportedly being considered by the league.
NFL owners discussed the proposal on Tuesday, according to Sports Illustrated, which noted the proposal would allow home teams to decide whether players from both sides come out of the locker room during the anthem and enforce penalties for kneeling if players do.
It's the latest idea for how to address the controversy sparked in 2016, when Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem to protest racial injustice, an action that spread throughout the NFL and elsewhere. More than 200 players sat or kneeled during a game last September, and President Donald Trump has opposed the protests.
Kaepernick, who hasn't played in the NFL since the 2016 season, has sued the league alleging collusion.
The NFL has struggled with how to address the controversy. Proposals have included an offer by the NFL to donate $100 million to causes important to the black community if players stand for the national anthem.
Assessing penalties for kneeling has gotten widespread criticism from sports reporters, The Hill noted, pointing out comments calling it the "worst idea" and "industrial-strength stupid."
Frank Schwab writing for Yahoo Sports called the idea "really hard to fathom" and said it illustrates that the NFL "has no idea how to handle the situation."
Twitter users also chimed in about the idea.