Ex-NFL player Colin Kaepernick has so far declined to comment on how NFL players are taking the knee or sitting en masse to protest against police brutality.
This action has raised the ire of US President Donald Trump, who criticized the NFL in a series of tweets and press conferences over the weekend.
Cornered on the way to the gym in Manhattan, New York on Monday, he told Splash News: ‘That’s OK.’
He added: ‘I appreciate the offer, but I’m not doing that today.
Colin Kaepernick was asked by a reporter what he thought about other NFL players taking the knee or sitting during the national anthem. He inaugurated the trend last year as a protest against police brutality. The ex-San Francisco 49ers player is pictured at right along with Eric Reid at left kneeling prior to a September 2016 game against the Los Angeles Rams
Kaepernick, pictured center along with teammates Eli Harold at left and Eric Reid at right, said at the time: ‘I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. ‘To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way’
The reporter pressed him: ‘Hey Colin, how you doing man, can I just ask you what you think about all this, all the take the knee stuff and President Trump?’
But Kaepernick stood firm. His girlfriend, radio host Nessa, told the reporter that Kaepernick was simply going to workout.
The ex-San Francisco 49ers football player was sporting a shirt with the text: ‘dope’.
Kaepernick inaugurated the not-standing-during-the-national-anthem-as-a-sign-of-protest gesture during last year’s NFL season.
After he began sitting during the singing of the ‘Star-Spangled Banner,’ he told the press: ‘I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.
‘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, pictured kneeling during an October 2016 game, is not playing this season after he opted to become a free agent and was not signed by any team
Kaepernick, 29, has been dating radio personality Nessa, 33, since July 2015. They are pictured together at the Time 100 Gala in April 2017
His originally solo effort grew to at least 150 players kneeling, sitting linking arms, giving black power salutes and not even showing up for the national anthem out of protest.
Players from both the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars were the first to protest by taking a knee ahead of their game at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday morning.
No players were kneeling during the playing of God Save The Queen – the British national anthem.
At least 20 Patriots players were spotted kneeling as Tom Brady linked arms with his teammates.
Pittsburgh Steelers players were absent from the sideline and remained in the locker room during the Star Spangled Banner.
Alejandro Villanueva, who served three tours in Afghanistan, was the only Steelers’ player to stand outside the tunnel for the anthem.
The protests from each team came in the wake of Trump’s critical remarks toward players who don’t stand for the anthem.
Last week across the entire NFL, only four players knelt or sat, and two stood with their fists raised.
Washington Redskins tight end Niles Paul (84) and linebacker Ryan Anderson (52) and Washington Redskins linebacker Chris Carter (55) kneel with teammates during the playing of the national anthem. Every member of the team and the coaches either took a knee or linked arms during the singing
Some members of the Oakland Raiders sit on the bench during the national anthem on Sunday night. The whole team and the coaches were in solidarity, either sitting or linking arms during the singing
Donald Trump is pictured greeting the family of a Marine pilot on Sunday. Trump criticized NFL players who do not stand during the national anthem. He said in a speech: ‘Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, you’d say, “Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He’s fired”‘
Several NFL players, starting last season with then-San Francisco quarterback Kaepernick, have either knelt, sat or raised fists during the anthem to protest police treatment of blacks and social injustice.
Last week at NFL games, four players sat or knelt during the anthem, and two raised fists while others stood by the protesters in support.
‘That’s a total disrespect of everything that we stand for,’ Trump said, encouraging owners to act. He added: ‘Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, you’d say, “Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He’s fired.”‘
On Saturday, Trump echoed his stance.
‘If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL, or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect our Great American Flag (or Country) and should stand for the National Anthem,’ Trump tweeted. ‘If not, YOU’RE FIRED. Find something else to do!’
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell strongly backed the players and criticized Trump for ‘an unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL’ while several team owners issued similar statements.
Kaepernick opted to drop his contract with the San Francisco 49ers after the 2016-2017 football season.
As a free agent, he was not signed with any team for the 2017-2018 season.
Commentators have suggested that the reason he was not signed was more due to his controversial protest during the national anthem than to his conduct on the field.
Kaepernick, 29, has been in a relationship with Nessa, 33, since July 2015.