Colin Kaepernick didn’t hold back on Monday night when asked about ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer, who criticized the San Francisco 49ers quarterback over the weekend for his protest of taking a knee during the national anthem.
Kaepernick is famously protesting the national anthem out of refusal to “show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people.” He said Dilfer should speak with the families of people that have been murdered by police and see if he still disagrees with the anthem protest.
“The big thing that hit me through all this was this is a backup quarterback whose job is to be quiet, and sit in the shadows and get the starter ready to play Week 1,” Dilfer said on ESPN Sunday. “Yet he chose a time where all of a sudden he became the center of attention. And it has disrupted that organization. It has caused friction. And it’s torn at the fabric of the team.”
When asked to respond, Kaepernick said, “I think that’s one of the most ridiculous comments I’ve heard.”
Kaepernick continued: “The fact that you say, ‘You are a backup QB, stay in your place?’ That’s an issue. To me, you are telling me that my position as a backup QB and being quiet is more important than people’s lives. I would ask him to really have a conversation with the families of people that have been murdered [by police] and see if he still feels that way. Because I bet that he doesn’t. Just because he hasn’t experienced that type of oppression.”
Kaepernick’s decision to protest the anthem has polarized the nation.
“That is something that I hope he goes home and really thinks about what he said and how it impacts not just me but how it impacts people whose lives are affected by these issues on a daily basis,” Kaepernick said.
Since his protest, the response has been polarizing. Charlie Sheen, Spike Lee and President Obama have expressed support, and Kaepernick’s jersey sales have skyrocketed.
Meanwhile, Bleacher Report wrote that NFL execs who despise Kaepernick’s actions outnumber the front office members who support the polarizing decision to protest the national anthem. Several NFL players have followed Kaepernick’s lead, including prominent members of the Miami Dolphins.