Let’s check those ‘player’s rights’, shall we? Reader Mark M supplied a recent list:

Here are some “fun” NFL  facts

• In 2012 the NFL had an issue with Tim Tebow kneeling for each game  to pray,
• they also had an issue with Tebow wearing John 3:16 as part of his blackout to avoid glare and made him take it off;
• In 2013 the NFL fined  Brandon Marshall for wearing green cleats to raise awareness for people with  mental health disorders;
• In 2014 Robert Griffin III (RG3) entered a post-game  press conference wearing a shirt that said “Know Jesus Know Peace” but was  forced to turn it inside out by an NFL uniform inspector before speaking at the  podium;
• In 2015 DeAngelo Williams was fined for wearing “Find the Cure” eye  black for breast cancer awareness;
• In 2015 William Gay was fined for wearing  purple cleats to raise awareness for domestic violence. (not that the NFL has a  domestic violence problem…);
• In 2016 the NFL prevented the Dallas Cowboys  from wearing a decal on their helmet in honor of 5 Dallas Police officers killed  in the line of duty;
• In 2016 the NFL threatened to fine players who wanted to  wear cleats to commemorate the 15th anniversary of 9/11.

So tell me again how  the NFL supports free speech and expression all of a  sudden…..