Orchard Park, N.Y. -- On Wednesday, the NFL passed a new rule that requires players to stand if they are on the field during the national anthem but gives them the option to remain in the locker room.

Teams will be fined if a player or anyone else on the team decides to "not show respect" for the anthem. That would include kneeling or sitting, which became a common occurrence among players after Colin Kaepernick began kneeling in 2016. The league did not specify how much players would be fined or what exactly constitutes "respect for the anthem."

"It was unfortunate that on-field protests created a false perception among many that thousands of NFL players were unpatriotic," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "This is not and was never the case."

Buffalo Bills owner and president Kim Pegula released the following statement on the new rule.

"We are proud of the work the league and our players have done over the course of the year to help strengthen our communities, raise awareness on issues of social injustice, and help find solutions," Pegula said in a statement. "The policy instituted today will have no effect on that whatsoever. Our communication has been strong with the leaders of our team and that will continue. I plan on meeting with Coach McDermott, Brandon and players in the near future to reiterate that."

The NFL committed $90 million to a new social justice initiative that supports efforts and programs to combat social inequality. In speaking with the Buffalo News at the owners meetings in Atlanta, where the new rule was approved, Pegula called this a "delicate situation" but thinks the new rules is a "great compromise."

NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith did not agree with that sentiment and took to Twitter to voice his displeasure.

"History has taught us that both patriotism and protest are like water; if the force is strong enough it cannot be suppressed. Today, the CEO's of the NFL created a rule that people who hate autocracies should reject," Smith tweeted.

"Management has chosen to quash the same freedom of speech that protects someone who wants to salute the flag in an effort to prevent someone who does not wish to do so. The sad irony of this rule is that anyone who wants to express their patriotism is subject to the whim of a person who calls himself an 'Owner.' I know that not all of the NFL CEO's are for this and I know that true American patriots are not cheering today."

The NFL's previous policy just said that players "should" stand during the anthem. The NBA has instituted a similar policy requiring players to stand.