Mike Ditka: 'If you can't respect our national anthem, get the hell out of the country'

Former NFL player and coach Mike Ditka takes a hardline stance against the practice of players kneeling during the national anthem.

According to TMZ Sports, Ditka, who will be the chairman of the female tackle football X League, said that he is against allowing kneeling, though he won't have the authority to make the final decision on the issue for the league.

"If you can't respect our national anthem, get the hell out of the country," Ditka said according to the outlet. "That's the way I feel. Of course, I'm old fashioned, so I'm only going to say what I feel."

"You don't protest against the flag and you don't protest against this country who's given you the opportunities to make a living playing a sport that you never thought would happen," he said.