Former NFL legend and Pitt Panther Mike Ditka has some unkind words for athletes and coaches who kneel for the national anthem.
In an interview with TMZ Sports about his women’s pro football X League, Ditka was asked if his players would be allowed to do it. He gave an emphatic “no” and urged those wanting to protest to leave the country.
“If you can’t respect our national anthem, get the hell out of the country,” the Carnegie native said. “That’s the way I feel. Of course, I’m old fashioned. So I’m only going to say what I feel … You don’t protest against the flag, and you don’t protest against this country who’s given you the opportunities to make a living playing a sport that you never thought would happen. So I don’t want to hear all the crap.”
WATCH : Mike Ditka says to TMZ that athletes who kneel the anthem should “get the hell out of the country” pic.twitter.com/s5mcvqcE9L
— JPA (@jpafootball) July 26, 2020
Ditka, 80, has been against the protests from the inception, saying in 2017, “There has been no oppression in the last 100 years that I know of.”
Ditka has voiced opposition to the move since 2017, when he said on Westwood One’s Monday Night Football pregame show “there has been no oppression in the last 100 years that I know of.” https://t.co/FmJCtuFSWS
— Siafa Lewis (@siafalewisnbc) July 26, 2020
The Super Bowl-winning coach has been named the chairman of the X League, which used to be called Legends Football League. Although he isn’t in charge of making national anthem policies, he let it be known that he would force the players to participate in the national anthem if he could.
He said that a football game is “not a place” for football players to protest.
Ditka (and many others) say “if you can’t respect our national anthem, get the hell out of the country.” What should we do with those who don’t respect the Constitution which says we have the rights of free speech and freedom of assembly? https://t.co/VpAlJgR10o
— Stan Van Gundy (@realStanVG) July 26, 2020
Legendary NFL coach Mike Ditka just said this in an interview:
“If you can’t respect our National Anthem, get the hell out of the country.”
AMEN!
— Ryan Fournier (@RyanAFournier) July 26, 2020
If you can't respect the tradition of non-violent protest enshrined in our Bill of Rights, Mike Ditka, then get the hell out of the country…https://t.co/gUSK4JzC6O
— Michael E. Mann (@MichaelEMann) July 26, 2020
