Colin Kaepernick could be one of the 32 most talented quarterbacks in the NFL right now, but he's unable to get a job in the NFL one year after he started his protest against racial injustice by kneeling during the national anthem. As the Jaguars pick between Blake Bortles and Chad Henne, as the Ravens wait for Joe Flacco to get healthy, as the Colts hope Andrew Luck can heal in time for the regular season, Kaepernick remains unsigned.
On Thursday, Browns legend Jim Brown weighed in on Kaepernick's situation. According to Brown, Kaepernick needs to decide if he wants to be a football player or an activist.
"Colin has to make up his mind, whether he's truly an activist or whether he's a football player," Brown told The Post Game. "If you try to be both in a situation -- football is commercial, you have owners, you have fans, and you want to honor that if you're making that kind of money. If you have a cause, I think you should organize it, present it in a manner where it's not only you sitting on one knee, but a lot of people that are going to get behind each other and do something about it.
"If I ask you one question: Who is Colin calling on to follow what he's talking about? So many of us have always done it and we're here to help anyone that wants to do it. But I would advise the young man, if you're a football player, play football. If you're going to be a real activist, use your money, use your notoriety."
.@JimBrownNFL32 gives us the 'real deal' on @Kaepernick7, flag, anthem and being an activist. pic.twitter.com/MMcLX3dteb
— ThePostGame (@ThePostGame) August 24, 2017
It's worth pointing out that Kaepernick's protest has been met with some support around the league. He's not even in the NFL, but his protest has continued this preseason. Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch and Seahawks defensive lineman Michael Bennett are the two most prominent players to have sat through the national anthem this preseason.
So when Brown says that Kaepernick should "organize it" so that "a lot of people" get "behind each other," that doesn't really make sense. Kaepernick's protest does appear to have some sort of organization behind it. Just look at what the Browns did:
Woah. A ton of Browns kneeling during the national anthem here pic.twitter.com/Qv6qSPs6kX
— Jordan Zirm (@clevezirm) August 22, 2017
It's also worth noting that Kaepernick has used his money to make a difference.
But according to Brown, Kaepernick should be following the rules and regulations of the NFL.
"If I sign for money then these people I sign with, they have rules and regulations," Brown said. "I'm going to give you the real deal. I'm an American. I don't desecrate my flag and my national anthem. I'm not going to do anything against the flag and the national anthem."
And here's where it's worth pointing out that kneeling during the national anthem is not a violation of league rules.
.@NFL comment on Kaepernick's anthem stance: "Players are encouraged but not required to stand during the playing of the National Anthem."
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 27, 2016