When the National Football League denied a request from the Dallas Cowboys to wear pro-police decals on their helmets, it set off a firestorm of protest from conservatives and pro-police groups. Critics say that the decision was hypocritical given what the league has allowed players to wear previously.

Washington Times:

Supporters have decried the NFL’s ban on the “Arm in Arm” helmet decals, which players have worn during practices as a “display of unity” with Dallas police following the July 7 massacre of five officers by an anti-police sniper at a Black Lives Matter protest.

“The NFL had an opportunity to be leaders and advocates for change in law enforcement,” Sgt. Demetrick Pennie, president of the Dallas Fallen Officer Foundation, told TMZ Sports after the Wednesday ruling.

The Cowboys hold their preseason opener Saturday night against the Los Angeles Rams.

“These are our friends and our loved ones … it hurts to not have the NFL fully support us,” Sgt. Pennie said.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and players drew notice for opening training camp July 30 by walking onto the field with Dallas Police Chief David Brown, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, and relatives of the slain officers.

“I understand that the NFL has uniform rules and guidelines that they’ve got to follow,” said Cowboys tight end Jason Witten, who helped organize the tribute, in a Thursday statement. “But that still doesn’t mean we’re not going to support and honor our community and stand arm-in-arm with them — now and in the future. It still doesn’t stop us from supporting them.”

Nationally syndicated conservative talk-radio host Mark Levin blasted the anti-decal decision, calling it “embarrassing” and “disgraceful.”

“Let me tell you why the NFL won’t do this. Anyone have a guess? I have a big guess: Because they don’t want any trouble from the leftists. From the Black Lives Matter crowd,” said Mr. Levin on his Thursday show.

“I know exactly what’s going on here. Like Hillary Clinton doesn’t seek the endorsement from the cops’ union. Of course not. The Democrat Party’s gone,” Mr. Levin said. “And the NFL top brass, like the NBA top brass, like baseball top brass, all liberal Democrats. [Every] damn one of them, pretty much.”

Others argued that allowing the players to wear the pro-police stickers would open the floodgates for a host of messages and causes.

Dallas Morning News columnist Tim Cowlishaw said that the NFL made the “right call,” adding that there are ways to pay tribute to officers without opening “this political door.”

The NFL has already opened the door: Players wear pink armbands for breast cancer awareness, and black armbands to honor deceased players and owners.

And then there's this:

Conservative website GOPUSA accused the NFL of harboring a double standard, saying the league had no reaction two years ago when St. Louis Rams players conducted a “hands up, don’t shoot” protest, and that Beyonce performed her controversial song “Formation” during the Super Bowl 50 halftime show.

The song’s video “features a wall with the phrase ‘Stop Shooting Us’ written on it, a scene with Beyonce sitting on top of a police car that is sinking into the water, and a shot where a child dances in front of a squad of policemen in riot gear,” said sports talk-radio host Dylan Gwinn in a Friday post on NewsBusters.

“That’s the platform the NFL gives to anti-police activists,” Mr. Gwinn said. “What do police officers get from the NFL? Not even a sticker in a preseason game.”

The NFL markets itself as a friend of the local community in each city with a franchise. It's hard to imagine a more community-friendly gesture than wearing a decal to show solidarity with cops who suffered a horrific loss.

Are NFL officials afraid of a backlash? You bet they are. Not from fans, but from players. You can bet that if they had allowed the decal to be worn, there would be calls from, black players to be allowed to wear Black Lives Matter symbols. 

Rather than deal with the real life issue of violence against police, the NFL punted.