Over the weekend, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick stirred up some controversy when he decided to sit down during the national anthem preceding the Niners preseason contest against the Green Bay Packers.
After the game, Kaepernick told reporters that he sat down in protest of the treatment of minorities in the United States, setting off a firestorm of people criticizing him for disrespecting the American flag, and calling him ungrateful for the opportunities that he has.
With the start of the football season fast approaching, don’t forget to check out our NFL free picks. Since we are in the dog days of summer and there’s not much else going on in the sports world, Kaepernick’s decision to sit through the national anthem became the hot topic of the week. Some NFL players, including former teammate Alex Boone, have criticized Kaepernick’s actions, while others have supported it, even if they feel he went about it the wrong way.
A couple of weeks ago, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers spoke about the social issues going on in the country, saying it started with leadership. Rodgers also added that some of the players in the league are quiet on social issues because they are worried about the repercussions that will come from both the league and the fans.
Rodgers also said that once NFL players who are comfortable with speaking out about social issues start doing so, it would create a domino effect.
While the public backlash that Kaepernick received for his stance was both swift and severe, not everyone was quick to accuse Kaepernick of being unpatriotic because what he is doing is protected by the constitution.
Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins said that sometimes when they stand for the national anthem, thoughts of the injustices perpetrated in the country do cross his mind, but that he doesn’t acknowledge them at the moment.
Jenkins added that he has a lot of family members and friends in the military. The defensive back said he loves the U.S., but doesn’t think not standing for the national anthem will help achieve what he wants.
Instead of protesting the national anthem, Jenkins said he would rather be doing something about the situation in the community by talking to people who can influence change.
Austin Seferian-Jenkins of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, told Peter King that Kaepernick is free to protest anyway he wants because America is the land of the free and home of the brave where people are allowed to voice their opinions.
While most players feel Kaepernick has the right to express himself freely, some NFL executives would rather he remains silent. A Bleacher Report article stated that some NFL executives that were asked about their opinion of Keapernick’s protest weren’t as supportive as the players were.
The executives, who asked to remain anonymous, called Kaepernick a traitor and said they won’t sign him if the 49ers were to release him. One even went as far as to claim that he would resign if his team signed Kaepernick.
Despite the faux outrage by the NFL executives likely sitting in their luxury suites when the national anthem plays, some members of the military, the one group everyone said would be offended by Kaepernick’s actions, offered support for Kaepernick on Twitter with the hashtag #VeteransforKaepernick.