Former NFL star put his foot down on the national anthem protests and knew exactly who to blame

FILE - In this March 8, 1984, file photo, then-New Jersey Generals owner Donald Trump, left, shakes hands with Herschel Walker at a press conference in New York, after agreeing on a 4-year contract. Retired NFL player Herschel Walker says he's being dropped from speaking engagements because of his relationship with Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Dave Pickoff, File)

Former NFL stand-out running back Herschel Walker is blaming league commissioner Roger Goodell for allowing protests during the national anthem to become routine occurrences during the 2017 season and potentially beyond.

Videos by Rare

RELATED: This NFL legend thinks the league needs to install a rule to ban kneeling during national anthem

Walker said that he finds the protests “upsetting” and that they should have been stopped when they started.

“I absolutely think the protests are so upsetting, and I blame the commissioner,” he said, according to the New York Post. “I know people are going to be angry when I say it, but he should have stopped the protests at the very beginning.”

Walker said that if people want to protest they should do so in Washington, D.C.

“Our flag is very special, and black lives matter, but what we should do is go to Washington after the season and protest there instead. We have young men and women fighting for the flag. And we have to respect the White House,” he added.

RELATED: This former NFL player opened up about overcoming bullying to become a huge star

It’s not the first time Walker has taken a strong stance on recent NFL displays.

Previously, Walker told TMZ that the NFL should make a rule that says players can only protest while “off the job.”

“I do, I think it means making a league-wide rule that if you want to protest, protest off the job. One of the things I want to say about the protests, where was everyone before the season started?” he asked. “I didn’t see anyone protesting in front of the White House, protesting in front of Congress or protesting in front of police officers. Why did we wait until football season started to start this again?”

Notably, Herschel Walker played in the USFL before he played in the NFL.  The New Jersey Generals were owned by Donald Trump.

What do you think?

Houstonians are headed to NRG today, but it’s not to watch some football

After numerous harassment claims, Roy Moore’s fundraising numbers have only gotten better