Colin Kaepernick’s Impact On Sports

Before Colin Kaepernick would sit on the bench during the national anthem in the NFL’s 2016-2017 preseason, and eventually kneel during the national anthem in 2016-2017 regular season, national anthem protests were non-existent, not only in the NFL, but all of sports. Standing with your hand over your heart was a sacred tradition in sports, for all coaches, players, and everyone affiliated in sports, including fans.

Colin Kaepernick’s silent and peaceful protest would strike outrage and hate for refusing to stand up for a flag that represents a country that oppresses black people in the place they call home – the United States of America.

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick told NFL media in an exclusive interview following the game against the Green Bay Packers. “To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies on the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”

Colin Kaepernick would eventually opt out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers to become a free agent, but has yet to join another NFL team. Articles from Sports Illustrated, the Washington Post, and New England Sports Network, have speculated that the  NFL has been “blackballing” Kaepernick from getting signed to a new team because of his actions during the national anthem.

Despite not being able to get a job, Colin gained even more support from people all over the world, but most importantly, he gained immense support from the athletes from the world of sports. From high school teams, professional football athletes, professional soccer athletes, and professional athletes basketball athletes, supported Colin Kaepernick’s stance, letting him know that he wouldn’t stand alone in his fight to raise awareness for social injustice in the United States.

The first professional NFL player to kneel beside Colin Kaepernick was his own teammate Eric Reid. Reid gave his own support for Kaepernick by kneeling with him during the national anthem September 1st, 2016.

“I think there’s the negativity around the anthem, again we keep saying it’s not about being disrespectful to the military or the anthem,” Reid told reporters September 1st, 2016 following the game against San Diego Chargers. “We’re talking about we want to be better. And that’s our goal to be better.”

Jeremy Lane of the Seattle Seahawks was the second player in the NFL to express support for Kaepernick as he sat on the bench during the national anthem in a game against the Oakland Raiders.

“I wasn’t trying to say anything,” Lane said following the Seattle Seahawks game against the Oakland Raiders on September 1st, 2016. “Just standing behind Kaepernick.”

The first female athlete to show their support of Kaepernick was National Women’s Soccer League’s Megan Rapinoe. Before the match up between the Seattle Reign and Chicago Red Stars, Rapinoe knelt on her own during the Star Spangled Banner, while her teammates stood. She expressed gratitude towards Kaepernick. “Being a gay American, I know what it means to look at the flag and not have it protect all of your liberties. It’s important to have white people stand in support of people of color on this.” Rapinoe said after the 2-2 draw September 4, 2016.

September 11th, 2016, more NFL athletes demonstrated unity during the national anthem. The first Sunday of the NFL season took place on the 15th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks in 2001, making the day an emotional one for many. Four Miami Dolphins players – running back Arian Foster, safety Michael Thomas, wide receiver Kenny Stills, and linebacker Jelani Jenkins – took a knee during the national anthem. Seattle Seahawks players did not take a knee, but instead linked arms during the national anthem as a way of acknowledging Kaepernick’s efforts. The Kansas City Chiefs locked arms during kickoff of their game against the San Diego Chargers, while Marcus Peters held up a single fist. Former New England Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett and safety Devin McCourty also raised their fists.

Colin Kaepernick’s protest didn’t just touch the hearts of professional athletes, but high school football players, coaches, and staff. In Seattle, Washington, all of Garfield High School’s football players and coaches kneeled during the Star Spangled Banner.

“Everyone wants to talk about how this is disrespectful to the American flag,” Garfield’s coach Joey Thomas told Seattle media outlets September 16, 2016. “That’s a smokescreen. How about we talk about the issues people are kneeling and fighting for? If we could start addressing the issues and finding solutions to the issues, we won’t have to kneel.”

NBA teams like the Houston Rockets and New York Knicks opened the NBA Preseason by joining arm in arm, while the Boston Celtics players united during the national anthem, standing together with their arms crossed and heads down. During his appearance on Conan, Marshawn Lynch was questioned about his opinion on Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem.

“I just hope people open their eyes to see there’s really a problem going on,” Lynch told Conan O’Brien during his exclusive televised interview. “and something needs to be done for it to stop.”

August 14, 2016, and August 20, 2016, when photos surfaced on the internet of Kaepernick sitting on the bench during the national anthem, little did he know he would create an immense impact on sports. Cameras or people cannot go a game without searching the sidelines for any players or person doing anything other than standing with a hand over their heart, and it seems that Kaepernick’s impact on sports will last for some time to come.