Updated 2:40 p.m. July 26 to include that the campaign of Paxton challenger Justin Nelson did not provide comment.

AUSTIN — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton cheered Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones for his policy requiring players to stand for the national anthem.

Paxton took to social media on Wednesday, just hours after Jones stood behind his expectation that Cowboys either stand or risk being benched.

"I commend Jerry Jones for requiring Dallas Cowboys to stand during the National Anthem," Paxton posted to Facebook and Twitter. "Standing pays respect to all who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom."

Jones reiterated his anthem policy Wednesday at a news conference during which he also said the team would not distance itself from Papa John's Pizza, despite its founder's recent resignation.

"That's very unfortunate that that's being addressed, unfortunate for the company and unfortunate for John," Jones said of John Schnatter's admission that he used a racist slur on a conference call. "Our relationship is not as predicated on his mistakes, or on his lack of judgment. I don't think that's us at all."

On the anthem, Jones said, "You know where I stand, the team knows where I stand."

Last year, Jones said any player who does not respect the flag would not play. He was the first NFL team owner to publicly announce such a policy, a decision praised by President Donald Trump. Players who followed former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's lead by kneeling for the anthem said they were protesting police brutality and racial injustices against black Americans; Trump has said the protests were disrespectful to those who risk their lives defending the American people.

Several other top Texas Republicans have already thrown their support behind standing for the anthem, including Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

Paxton has been a fan of the Cowboys from an early age. Raised largely on military bases, he rooted for the Dallas team decades before he made North Texas his home.

Paxton is running for re-election this year with Trump's support. He is being challenged by Houston attorney Justin Nelson, a Democrat. Nelson's campaign did not immediately return request for comment on Paxton's anthem statement.