Despite the open lack of support, he was joined in San Diego by team-mate Eric Reid in taking a knee.
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After the game, Kaepernick announced that he will donate the first $1 million he earns this season to various organizations that are helping the communities in need and to fight racial inequality. I have to help these communities. “It’s not right that they’re not put in the position to succeed, or given the opportunities to succeed”.
Although Reid and Lane were the only two players that joined Kaepernick Thursday night in refusing to stand for the national anthem, Kaepernick said he’s received growing support from “numbers” of players around the league.
Farther north, Seattle Seahawks player Jeremy Lane sat during the national anthem prior to the game versus the Raiders. The decision took on added significance, as it was “Salute to the Military” night in San Diego, the home one of the largest Navy bases in America.
Kaepernick (No. 7) takes a knee during the national anthem.
The 49ers have previously stated that they stand behind Kaepernick’s choice to express his individual freedoms.
Circling back to the donation: When Kaepernick first talked about his protest, he said he would keep protesting the National Anthem until he sees meaningful change. NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown said he is with Kapernick “100 percent”, while many members of the Armed Services showed their support on Twitter with the #VeteransForKaepernick hashtag. He said he has worn them before, but this time the socks grabbed national attention, coming just five days after it also became known that he has chosen to sit during the national anthem before 49ers’ games.
Kaepernick, who led San Francisco to the 2013 Super Bowl but has since been demoted to backup, has said he would not show pride in the flag of a country that oppresses people of color, citing police brutality.
Dan Moreno told USA TODAY Sports in a text message that the agency would issue a response to the letter on Saturday.
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“Yeah, I am prepared for it”, Lane said. “And I think what I did was taken out of context and spun a different way”.
