New national anthem rules put Eagles at center stage with Donald Trump, NFL

Posted May 24, 2018 at 05:30 AM | Updated May 24, 2018 at 06:28 AM

By Eliot Shorr-Parks | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

If you thought the debate around anthem protests in the NFL would be a thing of the past in 2018, think again.

The NFL announced a major change to the league's rules surrounding what players can and can't do during the national anthem this week, imposing potential fines to any player that is viewed as disrespecting the flag.

As was the case in 2017, expect the Eagles to once again be at the forefront of the nation-wide debate surrounding protests during the national anthem.

Malcolm Jenkins,Rodney McLeod

Matt Rourke | AP PHOTOS

Eagles are once again on center stage

Make no mistake about -- just like they were in Super Bowl LII, the Eagles are now on center stage in the nationwide debate about what player should and shouldn't be allowed to do during the national anthem.

They have an owner in Jeffrey Lurie that has called President Donald Trump's presidency "one (expletive) disastrous presidency." They have safety Malcolm Jenkins, who has become one of the main voices for the players that have protested during the national anthem in the past. They have defensive end Chris Long, who has already spoken out against the new rule and was one of the first players in the NFL to join in with the protests during the anthem last season. They are going to the White House in less than two weeks.

And oh yeah -- they are playing in prime time in the first game of the season.

Outside of potentially the San Francisco 49ers, perhaps no team has been tied to the debate about anthem protests like the Eagles. Whether the Eagles organization likes it or not, that is now only going to intensify, and they are now smack in the middle of a debate between President Trump, the NFL and fans across the country who are extremely divided on this topic.

What will Jeffrey Lurie say?

According to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, the NFL owners unanimously approved the new rule. That means Lurie either abstained from voting, like San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York, or he voted for a rule that some of the leaders on his team are very much against. Either way, he didn't vote against it.

Lurie released a statement late Wednesday night on the rule change:

“I have always believed it is the responsibility of sports teams to be very proactive in our communities. In this great country of ours, there are so many people who are hurting and marginalized, which is why I am proud of our players for continuously working to influence positive change. Their words and actions have demonstrated not only that they have a great deal of respect for our country, but also that they are committed to finding productive ways to fight social injustice, poverty and other societal issues that are important to all of us. We must continue to work together in creative and dynamic ways to make our communities stronger and better with equal opportunities for all.”

While the statement leans towards being pro-player, it leaves plenty of questions unanswered.

The most important questions -- why did Lurie not vote against the rule and will Lurie pay any potential fines for player protests like Jets owner Christopher Jenkins?

Lurie not only has to address his position on the new rule publicly, but having a conversation with Jenkins and Long might be a wise idea as well.

Malcolm Jenkins,Rodney McLeod,Chris Long

AP Photo | Matt Rourke

What will Jenkins, Long and Bennett do?

If the owners thought this would end the scrutiny and eyes focused on who is or isn't protesting during the anthem, they were wrong. Now, what Jenkins, Long and defensive end Michael Bennett do during the anthem will be one of the biggest storylines in the NFL leading up to Week 1.

Although Jenkins stopped raising his fist in protest midway through last season, Jenkins, Long and Bennett have all at one point done some kind of gesture during the anthem. Long put his hand on Jenkins' shoulder as the safety raised his fist. Bennett sat down during the anthem, and he has hinted he will continue to do so. Safety Rodney McLeod and defensive end Steven Means have also protested during the anthem.

What team leaders Jenkins, Long and Bennett decide to do in Week 1, in primetime against the Atlanta Falcons on the night the Super Bowl banner will be raised, will go a long way in deciding how the Eagles handle this issue throughout the season.

Will the Eagles join together and not come out at all?

Jenkins and other members of the team have said multiple times that they plan on meeting to discuss how they will handle the visit to the White House on June 5. Needless to say, those same meetings will take place in regards to the new anthem rules.

How those meetings go, and what the team decides to do, will be very interesting. If the majority of the players decide to stay in the locker room during the anthem, which is within the NFL rules, will the entire team stay in the locker room as a sign of unity? Or will only a handful of players stay back?

The Eagles have done a great job using an issue that many feel should divide a locker room and using it to unite them. Their Super Bowl run last season was fueled by locker room chemistry despite the fact they were one of the most outspoken teams in the league when it came to social issues.

Now, the tension around the anthem issue has been taken up another notch -- and the Eagles' locker room will once again be forced to discuss it as a group.

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