ANDY PUZDER: NFL could have prevented protest mess, as any competent employer would.

I ran the company that owns the Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s restaurant chains for almost 17 years. Along with our franchisees, we employed about 75,000 Americans and we flew the American flag in front of many of our restaurants. Had any company employees decided to disrespect that flag in front of our customers, in our brand’s uniform and during their hours of employment, I would have encouraged our general managers to first warn them to stop and, if they refused, to fire them.

I am very supportive of First Amendment rights and would encourage employees to express their opinions openly and freely, on their own time. But employees have no constitutional right to alienate a business’ customer base, damaging the business that employs both them and their co-workers, not to mention the owners who have taken the financial risks to create that business. When you accept employment, you accept the responsibility to advance the interests of the business that employs you. You have no right, nor should any employer tolerate attempts, to damage that business by alienating its customer base.

These kneeling player-employees have put their NFL team owners in a difficult spot. On the one hand, they certainly do not want players alienating their customers. On the other hand, team unity is important to a winning season and they naturally want to be sensitive to their players’ concerns. But, they never should have been put in this position.

Indeed. Roger Goodell will be remembered as the NFL Commissioner who squandered more goodwill, more quickly than anyone could have imagined.