TAMPA, Fla. -- Right after the Bucs finished a blazing practice Thursday, head coach Dirk Koetter didn’t hold back on questions about the new NFL national anthem policy.
REPORTER: The NFL came down yesterday with a new policy regarding the national anthem.
KOETTER: They did?
The response was made jokingly.
Koetter added, “When the league makes a policy, the league makes a policy, so anything else right now is irrelevant, what I think about it or what anybody else thinks about it.”
But, he did reiterate what he thinks about it.
“I’m on the record with what I think about the national anthem. In a perfect world, everybody would stand. That’s what I believe. But, again, there’s a policy now and we’ll just have to work through it.”
Last season, wide receivers Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson both kneeled during the anthem and caught heat for it.
But, another wide receiver, Chris Godwin, says the team hasn’t talked about the new rules yet.
“We haven’t really discussed it much, you know. I’m going into my second year, so the only thing I’m really worried about right now is getting better each and every day. Coming out here, enjoy OTAs, enjoy the process of playing ball. Whatever happens during the season, you know, everybody will discuss it when it comes, but I’m just focused on ball right now.”
Bucs safety Justin Evans had a similar message.
“I just found out about it today. Once everybody learns about it, I’m sure they’ll speak their mind on it. Each person has their own opinion so, we’ll see.”
Teams have room to formulate their own response before the games. It’s something Koetter says they have time to address.
“It just happened yesterday and we haven’t had a chance to sit down. There’s not a time limit on it until we get to the fall. It is something that is going to have to be worked through,” he said.
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