Jerry Jones has appeared to become the most strident of the NFL owners in his stance that players must stand for the national anthem. But it hasn’t always been that way.
After Jones’s first home game as the Cowboys’ owner in 1989, a fan complained that Jones and his guest, Elizabeth Taylor, had been spotted sitting during the national anthem. The Star-Telegram published a letter from the offended fan, Ken Johnson.
“JEERS: To Jerry Jones and Liz Taylor, who were the only two people at last Sunday’s Cowboys-Redskins game not standing when the national anthem was played,” the letter said. “Riding out in a cart just before the anthem began was bad enough, but sitting while it was played was more than many of us could handle. Jerry, please note that in Texas, we stand for the national anthem. P.S.: Tom [Landry] always took off his hat.”
We’re not sure why Jones (or Taylor) wouldn’t have stood for the anthem in 1989, but apparently some time in the last 28 years Jones has decided that not only will he always stand for the anthem, but every Cowboys player must stand as well.
