Sunday is finally here and people across the country are getting ready to watch football. These passionate fans cheer for and against one of the thirty-two football teams that make up the NFL, or National Football League. This group is made up of various elements, including the players who compete for an audience, the coaches who regulate their every move, the referees who make the final decisions, and the elite people who own the teams. All of these groups act as mechanisms that operate the machine that is the NFL. This industry is filled with pride, enthusiasm and competition, but there are many issues surrounding the sport. Hidden in the shadows of stadium lights and television screens are conflict, rebellion and inequality. The NFL's greatest contribution and complication revolves around its cultural foundation and structure. Theorists explain that “inequalities exist within a culture’s value system. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Therefore, a society's cultural norms benefit some people but harm others” (OpenStax 67). The National Football League revolves around a culture that can be described as “shared beliefs, values, and practices that participants must learn” (OpenStax 52). Beliefs vary, because not everyone shares the same beliefs. The NFL's official mission states "we unite people and inspire communities in the joy of the game by delivering the world's most exciting sports and entertainment experience" (NFL). The NFL attempts to unite people, particularly by manufacturing physical equipment that establishes symbolic value within society. Material culture “refers to the objects or possessions of a group of people” while non-material culture “consists of the ideas, attitudes, and beliefs of a society” (OpenStax 53). An example of this would be a fan wearing their favorite team's jersey. Members of society are able to determine that person's values ​​by viewing the colors or symbols on their shirt. All sports, including football, require standards or rules to ensure fairness and equality when participating or watching. Although some norms are formal and can be enforced, others are classified as informal or "casual behaviors that are generally and widely conformed to" (OpenStax 58). An example of an informal norm would be for players to stand during the national anthem. It is an unspoken expectation that athletes and fans honor the country, so kneeling is a violation of an informal norm. The NFL has strategically established not only teams, but also a strong culture. By incorporating symbolism into sports, this company was able to influence society's beliefs, values, and practices while establishing standards. Karl Marx's conflict theory "viewed society as being composed of individuals belonging to different social classes who must compete for social, material and political resources such as food and shelter, employment, education and leisure” (OpenStax 16). The NFL company and all its subsidiaries constitute a perfect demonstration of this theory. By signing a contract with the NFL, players often enjoy financial security as well as the elite status of a professional athlete. In order to earn a living or overcome poverty, some athletes dedicate their entire lives to securing a contract with the NFL. InObtaining employment, athletes have access to resources such as food, housing and recreation. This level of safety contributes to problems associated with athletes hiding sports-related concussions. In the event of an injury, players are usually unable to play and take a pay cut. The risk of losing what they have worked so hard for influences how they take care of themselves. Jones Drew said: “The bottom line is this: You have to be able to put food on the table. No one is going to sign or want a guy who can't stay healthy. I know there will be a day when I will have trouble walking” (Some NFL). This player is aware of and anticipates the decline in his health, but his priority is performance. Although players remaining in the game can improve the team's chances of winning, the injured or concussed player ultimately pays the price. Justin Smith of the 49ers says, “And most guys – 99% of guys in the NFL – are going to play there” (Some NFL). Members of the NFL, such as coaches or players, may encourage athletes to hide their injuries for the sake of others instead of prioritizing their own lives. There has been a broad movement to improve the safety and well-being of young athletes who may one day join the NFL. They state that “Heads Up Football is designed to change the culture around America’s favorite sport and improve player safety” (NFL Foundation). One might wonder if the NFL really cares about the health of young athletes or if it is preparing its potential future investments. This labor conflict directly contradicts the mission statement and core values ​​of the National Football League. One might conclude that the NFL puts revenue and entertainment ahead of the safety of its employees. Some athletes would sacrifice everything, including their own bodies, to be able to acquire all the resources necessary for survival. Although the NFL has formal and informal standards, its employees and affiliates continue to follow and violate them. The different levels of conformity are explained by Robert Merton's constraint theory "which notes that access to socially acceptable goals plays a role in determining whether a person conforms or deviates" (OpenStax 139). Athletes drafted into the NFL generally follow the rules and regulations presented to them; This is an example of compliance. The NFL is also made up of innovators or people who use different means to achieve goals such as deviant or criminal acts. This part of the strain theory may include athletes who violate drug policy by taking sports-enhancing drugs. NFL athletes can sometimes embody ritualism, as they adjust and lower their goals in hopes of achieving the desired outcome. If the opposing team faces a superior team, they can participate in the ritualism. In doing so, they lower their expectations of winning and are sometimes able to perform better. It is not uncommon for athletes to participate in retirementism, as their goals may have changed in ways that reject what society considers acceptable. For example, athletes may set the bar so low that they commit suicide. Nicki Karimipour explains that “from 2000 to 2012, there were nearly a dozen suicides among current or retired NFL athletes” (Suicide). The final element of the constraint theory includes rebellion which is easily identifiable. Regardless of their beliefs or intentions, athletes who kneel during the national anthem are demonstrating rebellion by refusing to stand, which constitutes a..