You're exactly right there. The Players in this case can choose to stay in the locker rooms. From there, they'll have the position to protest in more subtle, but attention grabbing ways. Also this policy is going to be challenged by the NFLPA. Also let's not that once the CBA comes up, the owners will get called out on this. There was no problem with the NBA since they simply sent a memo out to the teams and players on the established protocols. MLB also never had this problem...and for that matter MLS, or the NHL. It's just the NFL that is having this problem.