“We’ve been trying to get [players] to stand voluntarily, but it’s not happening quickly enough,” a high-ranking official with one NFL team said. “Fans are angry. I think we would like to get NFLPA support.”

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It’s not clear if such support from the union will be forthcoming, that high-ranking team official said, adding that the “owners want the kneeling to stop, as do the vast majority of players.”

That high-ranking team official also said: “I don’t know where we will end up.”

Another person close to the deliberations said the NFLPA did not know how this week’s discussions would play out and could not speculate on what will be discussed.

It also is not clear if the owners will take action to require players to stand for the anthem if the NFLPA does not support such a measure.

Potential league support of players’ community activism also is to be discussed at this week’s meeting.

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NFL officials have said the league has no specific plan or proposal in place to present to owners this week that would compel players to stand for the anthem.

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“We look forward to another face to face conversation between players and owners,” Joe Lockhart, the NFL’s executive vice president of communications and public affairs, said in a conference call with reporters Friday.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell wrote in a letter to teams earlier last week: “Building on many discussions with clubs and players, we have worked to develop a plan that we will review with you at next week’s League meeting. This would include such elements as an in-season platform to promote the work of our players on these core issues, and that will help to promote positive change in our country.”

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Goodell said in last week’s letter that the NFL believes players should stand for the anthem.

“Like many of our fans, we believe that everyone should stand for the National Anthem,” he wrote. “It is an important moment in our game. We want to honor our flag and our country, and our fans expect that of us. We also care deeply about our players and respect their opinions and concerns about critical social issues. The controversy over the Anthem is a barrier to having honest conversations and making real progress on the underlying issues. We need to move past this controversy, and we want to do that together with our players.”

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The league and union have pledged to work cooperatively on the issue.

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The NFL and NFLPA issued a joint statement last week that said: “Everyone who is part of our NFL community has a tremendous respect for our country, our flag, our anthem and our military, and we are coming together to deal with these issues in a civil and constructive way.”

The league has been under intense pressure from the White House over protests by players during the national anthem.

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