Heading into the weekend former New York Daily News senior justice writer Shaun King reported that players on two respective teams had disclosed to him that franchise executives were making it policy that they stand for the National Anthem. By Sunday, October 8, the owner of at least one team informally announced his plan to enforce a kneeling ban.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is known to have a good friendship with President Trump. In fact, before the Cowboys' nationally televised Monday Night Football game that followed backlash over the President's call for owners to fire players who kneel, Trump reportedly called Jones several times begging the team not to protest. Jones and the Cowboys demonstrated anyway; kneeling prior to the anthem, and then standing for the song. Now it appears Jones has had a change of heart.

"If there's anything that is disrespectful to the flag, then we will not play. You understand? If we are disrespecting the flag, then we won't play. Period," Jones told the press following Dallas' loss to Green Bay. "We've made our expression that we're together. I'm very supportive of the team, but under no circumstances, under no circumstances will the Dallas Cowboys, I don't care what happens. Under no circumstances will we as an organization, or as coaches and players, not support and stand and recognize and honor the flag."

On Sunday, King would also return to Twitter. According to sources, he's connected with the Washington Redskins has received a similar message from their owner, Dan Snyder. In addition, players from three other teams have reportedly told King that they too had been told they must stand. King has not named which teams the other players belong to.

Source: nfl.com