Various executives from the NFL have spoken up about San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's protest against the national anthem. But amidst the criticism, Kaepernick still continued his protest at a recent game and was even supported by teammate Eric Reid.
During Thursday night's game for the NFL preseason finale, Kaerpernick took a knee as his other teammates stood in attention for the national anthem. Reid, the team's safety, also dropped to his knee to show his support to Kaepernick, according to CBS News.
As explained by Kaepernick, he refuses to stand for the national anthem or the American flag due to the current social state of the country.
"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," he said according to NFL.com. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."
Kaepernick's protests drew the ire of seven team executives in the NFL. Some of them referred to the 49ers QB as the most hated player in the league right now while others called him a traitor, according to Bleacher Report.
"I don't want him anywhere near my team," one executive said. "He's a traitor."
"He has no respect for our country," another one said. "F*ck that guy."
One executive even compared Kaepernick to Rae Carruth, the former wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers. He was sent to prison in 2001 after he was found guilty of planning to murder his then-girlfriend who was pregnant with his child. He is expected to be released in October of 2018.
The executives noted that they represent the majority of league general managers who despise Kaepernick. According to them, if he continues with his actions, he will most likely get released by the San Francisco organization. If that happens, then it will probably be the end of his career in the NFL since it would be very hard for him to find a team that will willingly sign him.
