NFL Quietly Changes National Anthem Policy

Teams now incentivized to have players honor the national anthem

A general view of Lincoln Financial Field during the national anthem prior to the game between the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 24, 2017. Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

The National Football League quietly tweaked its national anthem policy to give teams incentive to punish players who protest.

The league offered a copy of its national anthem policy to news outlets for Monday Night Football this week. A small but significant change in the policy gives the power to teams to punish players for protesting during the national anthem, Deadspin reported.