FOXBORO -- Last week, the NFL came out with a new rule requiring players to stand for the national anthem, or stay in the locker room.
This did not go over well with Patriots safety Devin McCourty, who is a leader in the players' coalition and has been very outspoken on the subject.
"This is dumb," McCourty said Thursday following Patriots OTAs. "I want to use the right choice of words."
"I just don't think that was the right way to kind of, like, lay the hammer down," he added. "I think the NFL is a group where you have owners and players, but it can work together, you know what I mean?"
McCourty also feels the new rule could lead to more protests.
"I think that's always a possibility," McCourty said. "Any time something happens like that and people don't agree with that, you can take everything else out of it, you know, protesting and reasons and everything. Some people might just say I don't like the rule so I want to do something to go against the rule. I knew that was a possibility as soon as I heard the rule."
The veteran also said he doesn't believe he's in the minority as far as players not liking the change.
"I would go out there and say not many players are happy or feel that's the right way to do it," McCourty said. "So, we'll kind of see how that all comes about."
