NFL Players Association (NFLPA) Executive Director DeMaurice Smith believes the motive behind the new National Anthem rule in the NFL is about the league “exerting control” over the players.

“It doesn’t appear to have the full support of all of the CEOs who own teams. It punishes not only players who wish to protest but also could end up punishing players who want to come out and stand and salute the flag,” Smith said Friday on ESPN’s “Get Up.”

He added, “[I]t smacks more of a desire to exert control rather than a desire to actually stand up and support the rights and freedoms that our country was founded on.”

Wednesday, the NFLPA pledged to review the new policy and fight it if anything violated the collective bargaining agreement.”

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