ESPN host accuses NFL owner of having a 'plantation mindset' over protests

An ESPN host excoriated the owner of the Dallas Cowboys for demanding that his players stand for the national anthem.

Here's the video of his comments:

What did Michael Wilbon say?

Wilbon made the comments to Dan Patrick on his show.

"They wanted the heat off their behinds, and so they did what they did in many cases," he said of the NFL owners who kneeled with players. "Not all of them, but some of them and Jerry Jones seemed to be the ringleader. And now he's saying he's gonna suspend any player who doesn't stand, well suppose they all don't stand — what's he gonna do? Suspend the whole team? Is he gonna forfeit the game?"

"I used the phrase 'plantation mentality.' Let me repeat it,'" he said in a later part of the interview. "Because that's what it comes off as. I don't care if Jerry Jones comes back and criticizes me, or Fox News, or anybody else."

"There needs to be open discussion, and sometimes it's harsh," he concluded.

What did Jerry Jones do to set off Milbon?

Jones first kneeled with players before the anthem in support of their protests after Trump excoriated them from his Twitter account. But on Sunday he put out a statement saying the protests would not be tolerated anymore.

“There is no room here if it comes between looking non-supportive of our players and of each other or creating the impression that you’re disrespecting the flag, we will be non-supportive of each other. We will not disrespect the flag," he said.

“If there’s anything that is disrespectful to the flag, then we will not play,” Jones concluded. “Understand? …If we are disrespecting the flag, then we won’t play. Period.”