NFL moms' open letter to Trump: He targets players to 'promote anger,' depletes them of 'heritage

The Professional Football Players Mothers Association penned an open letter to President Donald Trump about rhetoric he's used when discussing NFL players and their protests.

What prompted the group to act?

Trump last week called on NFL owners to get rid of that "son of a bitch" who kneel during the national anthem.

At a rally Huntsville, Alabama, for Luther Strange, Trump said, "Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners when somebody disrespects our flag, to say get that son of a bitch off the field right now?"

Trump added, "He’s fired. He’s fired!" as the crowd applauded wildly and chanted, "USA!"

What did the moms' letter say?

The letter, obtained by BuzzFeed, excoriated Trump for his language and called for the president to stop the "divisive language" and get out a message of "social justice and unity" instead.

"[We] believe in promoting a positive image of professional football players as athletes and young men of character," the letter read. "It saddens the [Professional Football Players Mothers Association] to know that President Donald Trump would make our sons — as well as their mothers — the target of inflammatory, offensive comments that are intended to promote anger and hatred, depleting them of their heritage and self-identity."

The letter signed off quoting a Bible verse — Proverbs 21:23 — which read, "Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue, keeps himself out of trouble."

See the rest of the letter below.

Michele Green, mother to former NFL offensive tackle Bryant McKinney, and who also serves as the president of the organization, told the website that she was insulted by Trump's comments.

"We know our self-worth as mothers," Green told BuzzFeed. "We're not what he said we were."

Trump's stance on NFL feud

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Thursday addressed reporters who asked her about the president's feud against NFL players who kneel.

"I don’t think there’s much to clarify. It’s pretty black and white there," Huckabee Sanders told reporter April Ryan, who questioned racial undertones of Trump's speech against the NFL protests.

Ryan began her question noting that "many of the NFL players are still pretty upset" about Trump's comments.

Huckabee Sanders quipped, "I think so are many Americans."