Four all-white co-hosts of the Fox News program Outnumbered expressed outrage that NFL players might kneel at Super Bowl LII to protest systemic racism in America.
Although the game does not air until February, the co-hosts of Outnumbered took aim at NBC Sports on Thursday, which said that it would not black out players who decided to kneel during the national anthem.
"Didn't half of their viewers just turn off the dial for the Super Bowl weekend?" co-host Katie Pavlich opined.
"I want them to tell the people, 'Get off your damn knees and stand up for the American anthem that people died for in this country!'" guest Dan Bongino exclaimed. "'Go out there and do it on your own time. These are our fields, this is our brand, you are going to stand and put your hand on your heart or that million dollar salary is getting flushed down the toilet bowl.'"
Co-host Melissa Francis encouraged viewers to record the game so that they could fast forward through the national anthem.
"I don't [fast forward] the whole thing like that, just the start," Francis said.
"If they don't fix this problem, I can almost guarantee you in four or five years that the NFL is going to be the field hockey or modern sports," Bongino insisted. "I was a Raiders and Ravens fan, and I'm telling you, it destroyed my soul when I watched the Super Bowl last year. NFL and me, we are absolutely completely divorced."
"Just watch on delay," Francis recommended.
"You can fast forward through the kneeling," Pavlich agreed.