Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT) claimed the NFL is “trying to divide us” by continuing to play the “black national anthem” at the Super Bowl.

Owens appeared on Mornings with Maria when host Cheryl Casone asked him about the anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which has been played by the league prior to the big game since 2021. Casone referred to the anthem as a “departure” for the NFL, which Owens corrected.

“No, it’s not a departure for NFL. The NFL, for a while now, has been trying to divide us,” Owens said. “So, no, this is typical of [NFL Commissioner Roger] Goodell. He’s a leftist, and he wants to divide us. Bottom line is this we have one national anthem. We have one country worth fighting for.”

The Utah representative and 1981 Super Bowl winner has boycotted the NFL for going on four years over his disapproval of Goodell. Owens committed to continue his boycott until Goodell is no longer the league’s commissioner. Goodell’s contract is up in March 2027, which will be over 20 years since he’s served in the position.

“My dad was World War II vet, and I was raised to be proud of that flag. I was raised to know that meritocracy is, what my country comes down to. And that’s what the NFL and military used to stand for: meritocracy, coming together,” Owens said. “We cared about the fact of winning and became brothers. That’s what our country is all about. We, the people, do not care about this mess.”

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“Let’s get back to all of us respecting what our ancestors have done, paid the price, stand for the flag, put our hands on our hearts, and be proud of it for sure,” Owens said.

Owens played for the Oakland Raiders during the tenure of Commissioner Pete Rozelle. The year after Owens’s team won the Super Bowl, the NFL hired Goodell as an intern, and he has worked there ever since.