Rep. Diane Black Will Boycott Her Home State NFL Titans’ Games Until Players Stand for National Anthem

Rep. Diane Black (R-TN) said on Tuesday that she will not attend Tennessee Titans games until NFL players stand for the national anthem.

Black, who is chairman of the House Budget Committee and has announced she will run for governor of Tennessee, made the remarks on the Hugh Hewitt radio show.

“My four tickets are in a drawer, and they will stay in the drawer,” Black said. “My seats will stay empty until we have an appreciation for our flag, our men and women who fight for this country, and for what this flag stands for. And so, I am disgusted with the whole NFL.”

On @hughhewitt today I let him know my 4 season tickets at @Titans games will remain empty until @NFL respects our vets & anthem.

— Diane Black (@DianeBlackTN) October 10, 2017

Black also expressed support for Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, who said on Sunday than any Cowboys player who disrespects the flag would be benched, according to the Washington Examiner:

The Tennessee congresswoman also said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell should be fired and criticized the commissioner for holding players to different standards when it comes to their conduct on the field.

“Roger Goodell told one of the players that he couldn’t wear a pair of socks that had a Bible verse on it, because that wasn’t part of the uniform, and it wasn’t part of the team, and it wasn’t part of the league, and now we’re allowing an expression such as this, and then we’re applauding it?” Black said on the show.

“You know, I don’t understand that,” Black said. “I really don’t. … I pay a lot of money to go see them, not only the tickets, but the food that I buy and so on and so forth.”

“And I think do your job, please,” Black said. “I come there to watch you play football. I don’t come there to listen or see you degrade our country.”

When the national anthem played before the Titans game on Sunday, receiver Rishard Matthew stayed in the locker room until after the anthem was played.

According to ESPN, “Matthews stayed in the locker room until after ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ ended, and told ESPN last month he would kneel until President Trump apologized for comments he made about players who take a knee.”