patrick.net

Three weeks ago, the NFL's partner TV networks refused to show angry fans booing protesting players. Now, these worried networks are refusing to show any protests during the national anthem at all.

The TV partners flushed players' historic social justice protests down the memory hole in Week 6.

Protests? What protests?

There were virtually no live shots of NFL players sitting, kneeling or standing Sunday during the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner," much less footage of fans booing players.

Instead, CBS, Fox and NBC chose to stay in commercial breaks during the pregame presentation of the flag and anthem. Once they returned from commercial, network play-by-play announcers and analysts paid little or no attention to what players did on the field.

ESPN planned to follow a similar playbook for Monday night's telecast of Colts-Titans, sources say.