Feb 16, 2020; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; President Donald Trump the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

President Trump once again criticizes Roger Goodell during rally

By Erin Walsh | Last updated Jun 21, 2020 12:25 PM ET

President Donald Trump held a rally in Tulsa, Okla., on Saturday night for the first time in months amid the coronavirus pandemic, and while he hit on a wide variety of topics, he took the opportunity to criticize NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell ... again.

The hot, controversial topic that he once again hit on was players kneeling during the national anthem, and noted he didn't like the video the commissioner released last week on the subject.

"And explain this to the NFL. I like the NFL, I like Roger Goodell, but I didn't like what he said a week ago," Trump said. "I said 'where did that come from in the middle of the summer? Nobody's even asking,' " Trump continued, before emphatically saying to cheers: "We will never kneel to our national anthem or our great American flag. We will stand proud, and we will stand tall."

"We will never kneel to our National Anthem, or our great American flag," said Trump at his #TulsaRally, taking aim at Roger Goodell and the NFL for their recent support of the #BlackLivesMatter movement pic.twitter.com/ReBOECRcFk
— Bloomberg QuickTake (@QuickTake) June 21, 2020

Trump first took aim at Goodell almost immediately following the release of his statement on the NFL social media accounts.

Could it be even remotely possible that in Roger Goodell’s rather interesting statement of peace and reconciliation, he was intimating that it would now be O.K. for the players to KNEEL, or not to stand, for the National Anthem, thereby disrespecting our Country & our Flag?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 8, 2020

Goodell didn't discuss kneeling, the national anthem or the American flag in his video, but the topics have been disputed between the league and Trump in the past.

In 2017, Trump encouraged teams to release players who knelt during the national anthem while making a speech in Alabama and has stood pat on that stance ever since.

Goodell's video message was in response to a series of requests from the NFL's biggest stars including Patrick Mahomes and Odell Beckham Jr. in which the players asked the league to condemn racism and admit wrongdoing in previous attempts to silence peaceful protests.

The entire discussion from NFL players, Goodell and Trump ignited after the death of George Floyd who died in police custody last month.

Erin Walsh

Erin Walsh is a Boston sports fan through and through. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Bridgewater State University and currently is in pursuit of her Master's Degree in Journalism from Northeastern University. Follow her on Twitter @ewalsh90

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