National Football League

President Trump continued his feud with NFL "kneelers" for the fifth consecutive day, when early on Tuesday he tweeted that ratings for NFL games are "way down except before the game starts, when people tune in to see whether or not our country will be disrespected."

Ratings for NFL football are way down except before game starts, when people tune in to see whether or not our country will be disrespected!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 26, 2017

As it turns out, President Donald Trump may have been on to something when he said NFL players were turning off viewers by kneeling during the National Anthem. As Deadline reports, both the NBC and NFL took a hit during Sunday Night Football last night when ratings dropped, as some Americans appeared to heed Trump’s call to boycott the NFL unless owners agree to fire or suspend players who don’t stand during the anthem.

Update: Some angry NFL fans have chosen a different way to express their dissatisfaction with the league and some of its players. As Yahoo reports, Steelers' offensive-lineman Alejandro Villanueva's jersey becomes an overnight best-seller after he stands for anthem.

Update:  Proving that he was just getting warmed up earlier this morning with his latest rant against the NFL, Trump now seems to want '#StandForOurAnthem' to go viral.

#StandForOurAnthem

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 25, 2017

* * *

Update (10:35 ET): Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin has become the first senior Trump administration official to publicly address Trump's feud with the NFL and NBA - the president called for fans to boycott the NFL unless owners fire or discipline players who kneel during the National Anthem - saying the issue wasn't about free speech and that players have first amendment rights when they're off the field.