The game also coincided with ‘Salute the Military night, ‘ which saw 240 sailors, Marines and soldiers present a United States flag and a pre-game parachute jump by retired Navy SEALS. The game, a preseason exhibition, got second billing to Kaepernick, whose refusal to stand for the national anthem has sparked a heated national debate.
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On Sunday, Kaepernick cited police shootings as one of the reasons he chose to protest the national anthem.
He spoke during a press conference following the game, saying he is not anti-American and that he supports all service members. “Men and women bleed for this”.
Nearly everybody stood for the National Anthem Thursday night at Qualcomm Stadium.
Twitter was quick to point out that the embattled QB wasn’t alone in protest as teammate Eric Reid knelt with him on the sideline in apparent solidarity.
“To me, this is bigger than football”, Kaepernick continued.
When asked about Kaepernick not standing for the national anthem, Kelly said he did not ask his about his intention for it.
He later said, “I knew what I was walking into”.
“We did our jobs so people have a voice and can do that”, explained Marine Corps Veteran Samuel Carnibucci.
On Sunday, Kaepernick said he welcomed the attention that his stance has garnered.
“When you see people disrespecting the flag or the national anthem, it really rubs you the wrong way”, Esiason said.
But fans like Mike Lemons disagree.
With the controversy surrounding his recent protest, there was likely more interest in Kaepernick’s actions before the contest than the results of the final pre-season game for both teams.
“I think the league is in a downward spiral regarding their obligations to the public under [commissioner] Roger Goodell, and this is just another example of that”, he said. It’s part of citizens’ First Amendment right.
Reaction to Kaepernick’s protest has been mixed.
Kaepernick has said that he’s sitting out the national anthem to protest social injustice.
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“I don’t care what the cause is. I think he would be booed out or the owners would be forced to not accept someone like him”, California Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter told ESPN podcast Capital Games.
