NFL anthem protests will be the topic when players, owners and the league all sit down next week in New York City, pushed along by a tweeting President Donald Trump.
The NFL issued a statement on Twitter clarifying that the players union will be part of the talks on how to move forward on from the national anthem controversy during the meetings, scheduled for Oct. 17-18, USA Today reported.
"The current dispute over the national anthem is threatening to erode the unifying power of our game, and is now dividing us, and our players, from many fans across the country," NFL head Roger Goodell wrote in a memo to team executives Tuesday, per USA Today.
"Like many of our fans, we believe that everyone should stand for the National Anthem. 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," he continued.
That statement earned a Twitter message from Trump, lauding Goodell's stance.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones became the first to say he would discipline players for not standing for the national anthem, earning praise from Trump, according to the Dallas Morning News.
That led the Local 100 of the United Labor Unions to file a complaint against the teams Tuesday, alleging that Jones violated the National Labor Relations Act by forcing the players to stand, ESPN reported.