Events such as player protests can create image crises that require sport organizations to engage in political issues. In this manuscript, we blend image repair theory with the social identity approach to leadership to advance knowledge about how sport organizations communicate in response to crises. Applying a discursive social psychology framework to analyze 21 NFL communications and interview statements, we explored how the NFL’s rhetoric evolved in response to the 2016–2020 national anthem and Black Lives Matter protests. The NFL augmented its traditionally militarized patriot identity as the crisis progressed, to address the social change issues raised by protestors. We show that sport organizations use rhetoric to mobilize support for their version of events to manage threats to organizational image. Accordingly, we provide theoretical and managerial implications arguing that apolitical identities are increasingly untenable in sport.

运动员抗议等事件可能会造成形象危机，需要体育组织参与政治问题。在这份手稿中，我们将图像修复理论与领导力的社会认同方法相结合，以推进有关体育组织如何沟通以应对危机的知识。应用话语社会心理学框架分析 21 份 NFL 通讯和采访陈述，我们探讨了 NFL 的言论如何演变以回应 2016-2020 年国歌和黑人的命也是命抗议活动。随着危机的发展，NFL 增强了其传统军事化的爱国者身份，以解决抗议者提出的社会变革问题。我们表明，体育组织使用修辞来动员对其赛事版本的支持，以管理对组织形象的威胁。因此，