Papa John's Revisits NFL Partnership After National-Anthem Flap

  • Pizza chain’s CEO railed against the league earlier this week
  • NFL ratings have declined, which some blame on controversy

A Papa John's International Inc. pepperoni pizza pie.

Photographer: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg

Papa John’s International Inc. is taking another look at its long-running sponsorship with the NFL as the league confronts lower ratings and a controversy over national-anthem protests.

The pizza chain is evaluating its partnership with the National Football League, spokesman Peter Collins said in an email. The step follows a quarter in which Papa John’s posted lower North American sales than Wall Street expected, a result the company blamed in part on a diminished NFL.