A fall in NFL ratings is "worth it" as long as players have the right to protest, well-known sports agent Drew Rosenhaus told CNBC on Wednesday.
"The players have the right to express themselves," said Rosenhaus, owner of Rosenhaus Sports. "I believe the NFL is a great product and the fans that enjoy the game should not allow this to impact their watching or their viewership."
"This should not be viewed as a negative," Rosenhaus said in the interview on "Squawk on the Street," referring to the player protests. "It's not anti-American. It's not anti-military. Many of the guys are from military families."
To President Donald Trump's disapproval, the NFL has decided it will not stop its players from kneeling during the national anthem, Commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday.
The decision came as the league is witnessing a drop in ratings this year.
Rosenhaus said, "If there is a dip now, it's not going to last forever."
People will come back, he added. "They're still the highest rated program on the planet," Rosenhaus said. "The president can say what he wants."
On Wednesday, Trump once again criticized players who protest during the anthem. The president has claimed that the league's ratings are declining due to the controversy over players kneeling.
The firestorm started when then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem last season to protest the treatment of African-Americans in the United States.