The topic of Colin Kaepernick kneeling for the National Anthem has been ignited yet again after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis almost two weeks ago.
Akiem Hicks, the Pro Bowl defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears, explained why he fearfully stood for the National Anthem in 2016 when protests first got kicked off by Kaepernick.
“At that time when Kaepernick was taking a knee, I had the same thought that 85, 90% of the league thought at that moment: ‘If I get down on one knee in front of this stadium, I am fired,’” Hicks said, via the Chicago Tribune. “’My job, my career, my life is over. I will be blackballed.’ And then to come out on the other end and watch it actually happen to Kaepernick, it just tells me my feelings were real. It was the reality, and hopefully it won’t be going forward.”
Kaepernick chose to kneel throughout the 2016 season to speak out against police brutality and racial injustices towards minorities.
Because of the widespread criticism and media attention it garnered, he has basically been blackballed for his actions and has yet to be signed by any team since then.
Even still, guys like Adrian Peterson of the Redskins have already stated he and others will be bringing back the gesture in 2020.
