Farmingdale Bar Bans NFL For Veterans Day

FARMINGDALE, NJ — Don't show up to Woody's Roadside Tavern in Farmingdale this Sunday expecting to watch some football. That's because this Monmouth County bar is banning the NFL in honor of Veterans Day.

The idea came up after one of the bar's customers, who is a Vietnam veteran, asked the manager to turn off the football games this Sunday out of respect for the day.

"I think the idea originally came up because they felt disrespected by some of the NFL players," said Rob Johnson, 52, one of the bar's three owners. "We're not trying to make a big political statement; we're just here supporting our veterans and our military. The veterans are the ones who fight for us and give us our freedom of speech. It's a beautiful thing we can both be on opposite sides of an argument thanks to them."

Woody's normally has 20 television screens for games, but they will all be dark this Sunday. The bar is also donating 20 percent of food sales to the Green Beret Foundation, which supports local military families in need.

Johnson acknowledged there are lots of different opinions on players kneeling for the National Anthem, and the debate can get heated.

"And that's the beauty of our country, to have these differing opinions," he said. "And it's because of our veterans we can disagree. We should be thankful to them every day for laying their lives on the line for us."

The bar's three owners, Johnson, Chris Maltese and Jennifer Knapp, will be on "FOX and Friends" Saturday morning, Nov. 11, discussing their decision. Woody's is located at 105 Academy Street in Farmingdale. Woody's hours this Sunday are 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Photo used with permission from Woody's; their backyard tikki bar.