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

Mike Ditka says people/players who kneel during the national anthem should ‘get the hell out of the country.’

Former Chicago Bears legend and current owner chairman of the X League, a women’s pro football league, has strong opinions about athletes kneeling during the national anthem.

The Hall of Famer said if it were up to him, he would not have players in his league kneeling in his league, while admitting to being old-fashioned.

Per TMZ.com:

“If you can’t respect our national anthem, get the hell out of the country,” Ditka said. “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. So, I don’t want to hear all the crap.”

Chicago Bears legend Mike Ditka becomes owner of women’s football X League

Chicago Bears legend is the owner and chairman of the X League, an offshoot of the Lingerie Football League.

Chicago Bears legend Mike Ditka is back in football. Women’s football to be exact.

The Hall of Famer is the owner and chairman of the “X League,” which is born out of the old Lingerie Football League.

“It’s time to give women, and girls, the same opportunity to play the game that the men play,” Ditka said, in a video touting his involvement in the league.

The league will begin play in eight cities in April. The eight cities and team names include the Seattle Thunder, Los Angeles Black Storm, Austin Sound, Denver Rush, Chicago Blitz, Kansas City Force, Omaha Red Devils, and the Atlanta Empire. The 2021 schedule will be announced in October, the league said on its website.

League officials said they plan on expanding into 24 markets in the U.S. and also will have leagues in Europe, Australia, and South America.

The X League got its beginning 11 years ago as the Lingerie Football League. In 2013, it was rebranded as the Legends Football League, and last year, changed its name again to the X League.

“Now from an ownership and executive perspective, I want to provide women a high-profile platform to compete against the greatest female athletes in the world while creating a destination league for millions of girls to aspire to play in,” Ditka said in a statement.