The New York Times editorial board on Saturday rebuked the NFL following the league’s announcement that it would ban players from kneeling during the national anthem.

The Times accused the league of caving to President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE on the issue, as the ban comes after a season of attacks from the president on players who participated in the on-field protests against police brutality and racial inequality.

“Rather than show a little backbone themselves and support the right of athletes to protest peacefully, the league capitulated to a president who relishes demonizing black athletes,” the Times wrote.

The NFL announced on Wednesday that teams whose players do not “stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem” can now be fined. The Times referred to the ban as a “phony pageant of solidarity.”

“The league has now decided it will also override the best interests of America and try to substitute a phony pageant of solidarity for a powerful civics lesson,” the board wrote.

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Trump repeatedly lashed out at the NFL during the 2017 season over the protests, and called for owners to fire players who participate.

The president sparked further backlash from current and former NFL players after the ban was passed, saying Thursday that players who can’t “stand proudly” for the anthem “shouldn’t be in the country.”

The Times board expressed hope that players would continue their protests, while finding creative ways to get around the kneeling ban.

“It might be amusing, for example, to see the owners tied in knots by players who choose to abide by the injunction to ‘stand and show respect’ — while holding black-gloved fists in the air,” The Times wrote. “Or who choose to stand — while holding signs protesting police brutality.”

“We look forward to many more meetings of fatootsed gazillionaires conducting many more votes on petty rules to ban creative new forms of player protest,” the board wrote.