The controversy over NFL players kneeling during the playing of the national anthem may be close to a boiling point, according to a Bucs captain.
Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy joined ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter on the latest episode of his podcast "Know Them From Adam," released Wednesday, and when Schefter asked about the possibility of the league requiring all players to stand for the national anthem, admitted there could be blowback.
"I don't think guys are gonna like it," McCoy told Schefter. "I think it's gonna be an uproar if that is to happen because you're basically taking away a constitutional right to freedom of speech. If guys wanna have a, I guess you would call it a peaceful protest, I don't think it's right to take that away."
Two of McCoy's teammates, wide receivers Desean Jackson and Mike Evans, have knelt before every game this year.
McCoy's comments come on the heels of a memo sent by commissioner Roger Goodell to teams that said the league believes players should stand for the national anthem, but McCoy told Schefter that requiring players to stand may cause more problems than it solves.
"It's just gonna happen, because now it's just like you have a voice at one point, but then you don't at this point," McCoy said. "And, that's our right ... it's a constitutional right that we have, and if you take that away, I don't think people are gonna take too kindly to it."
Listen to Schefter's podcast by clicking here!
photo: Getty Images