NFLPA's DeMaurice Smith: 'No Player Is Disrespecting Our Country or Our Flag'

NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith released a statement Monday, saying "no player is disrespecting our country or our flag" in regard to players' protests during the national anthem.

"As thousands have shown in the past, it takes bravery and courage to speak and confront these issues as our players have, especially when it is unpopular with some," Smith said in a tweet. "There is room for management to do the same and maybe then players do not have to risk the taunts and threats alone. This is their opportunity to lead as well and will be a true test to their motto that 'Football is Family.'"

Smith's comments come a day after Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said players who "disrespect" the flag will not be allowed to play on his team. 

"We cannot in anyway give the implication that we tolerate disrespecting the flag," Jones told reporters. "We know that there is a serious debate in this country about those issues, but there is no question in my mind, that the [NFL] and the Dallas Cowboys are going to stand up for the flag.

"But let me be real, real clear: The thing that the National Football League needs to do and the Dallas Cowboys are going to do is stand for the flag. We're going to do that. It's the rules that are on the book in my opinion."

Just two weeks prior to his comments, Jones was prominently featured on national television taking a knee with players before the national anthem before rising when it began. The Cowboys owner is a donor to President Donald Trump, who has made criticizing players who sit during the anthem one of his biggest crusades in office.

Trump also claimed to have spoken with Jones on Sept. 26.

According to a report by Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham of ESPN.com, NFL owners have had internal discord about how to handle protests. Smith was highly critical of the NFL's decision to host multiple players to the league offices on short notice last month.

"It was offensive to me because, historically, there was always a question of, 'What is it going to take in order for us to buy your voice of protest?' The problem with that is, No. 1, it assumes we are doing this because we want something from the owners. And second, it's clear that once you commoditize a freedom, like the right to free speech, once you've sold it, you can never use it again," Smith said.