Sep 9, 2018 - Sports

Trump blames lower ratings for NFL opener on protests during anthem

President Trump blamed lower ratings for Thursday's NFL season opener between the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons on the continuing controversy surrounding players' protests during the national anthem.

"Wow, NFL first game ratings are way down over an already really bad last year comparison. Viewership declined 13%, the lowest in over a decade. If the players stood proudly for our Flag and Anthem, and it is all shown on broadcast, maybe ratings could come back? Otherwise worse!"

The big picture: According to Variety, the game's ratings were down 8% from last year — a continuing trend for the NFL — though the game was delayed due to weather and finished after midnight on the East Coast. Additionally, no players from the Eagles or Falcons protested during the national anthem, per Philly.com.

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Axios

Updated 2 mins ago - Politics & Policy

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Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

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Rashaan Ayesh

10 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Transcripts show George Floyd told police "I can't breathe" over 20 times

Photo: Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

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Why it matters: Floyd's killing sparked a national wave of Black Lives Matter protests and an ongoing reckoning over systemic racism in the United States. The transcripts "offer one the most thorough and dramatic accounts" before Floyd's death, The New York Times writes.