Jerry Jones: Cowboys Want to 'Move the Ball Forward' on Protests, Social Justice

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has changed his tune a bit regarding players who choose to protest during the national anthem before games.

Jones told reporters in October 2017 that any Cowboys player who "disrespects the flag" wouldn't play. During an appearance Friday on 105.3 The Fan, the 77-year-old indicated he'll amend his previous stance:

"We all do understand where I stand relative to the national anthem and the flag. On the other hand, I really do recognize our times we're in. I recognize the ability of the Cowboys to use the visibility and interest we have to support the players. As I've said earlier, we'll come down in a way that gives us a chance to move the ball forward. Move the ball positively forward."

In July 2018, Jones reiterated his attitude toward anthem protests, telling reporters the team's policy was to "stand at the anthem, toe on the line."

However, he said last month "that was then, two years ago." He appeared to reference the protests that have spread across the country after the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor and the shooting of Jacob Blake.

Cowboys defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford said Thursday he and his teammates had received the go-ahead to express themselves with an eye toward social justice, per the Dallas Morning News' Calvin Watkins:

"We definitely [have] the green light on all that. But also just trying to find something that's going to make a boom. It's not just going to be something that people look at it one time and kind of swipe by it. They're like, ‘Oh that's great. The Cowboys did that,' and swipe by it. We want to do something that makes a boom and that's something that people remember and actually creates some change, and we'll figure that out."

Ahead of a 2017 game against the Arizona Cardinals, Jones joined Cowboys players in kneeling before the game in a show of unity. A scene during the Amazon documentary All or Nothing showed Jones explaining what was going to happen.

Jones later said he thought the show of unity would represent the final say on the matter.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell issued an apology in June, saying the league should've done more to support players who wanted to protest for social justice causes in previous years.

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick was the first NFL player to protest during the anthem. He told NFL Network's Steve Wyche in August 2016 he was raising awareness toward minority populations who are the victims of systemic racism and police brutality.