evidence: Fact Check: NFL Referees Do NOT Now Have The Authority To Disqualify Players For Anthem Kneeling -- Story Is From A Satire Site Do NFL referees now have the authority to disqualify players for kneeling in protest during the national anthem? No, that's not true: This claim comes from a satirical website that has a history of fabricating content surrounding popular topics. The site carries a disclaimer that states, "Everything on this website is fiction." Lead Stories found no credible reports about what would be a newsworthy rule-change if it actually had happened.