Backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick caused a stir last season by refusing to stand for the National Anthem in the name of social wokeness. The story made national headlines, as an athlete of his un-caliber taking a stand by actually taking a knee in the name of social injustice toward African-Americans in large urban Democrat-controlled cities.
Several NFL players kneeled with him in solidarity, and he was praised by everyone from heroically brave sports journalists to congressional representatives. Kaepernick even received an inspiration and courage award from the 49ers.
But according to Adam Schefter and several sources at ESPN, Kaepernick has made the decision to no longer take a knee during the national anthem starting next season. Kaepernick is a free agent, with the San Francisco 49ers declining to pick up his option. Some unwoke cynics might see this as a nothing more than a media ploy by Kaepernick to show teams he will not be a distraction on or off the field, which right-wing nut jobs have been suggesting since he began this stunt from the bench last season. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.
I believe there’s more at work here. It’s no coincidence that while Barack Obama was in office, backup quarterback Kaepernick saw racial injustice everywhere and, in the name of a more woke society, decided to make a brave statement, much like Jackie Robinson or Jesse Owens or even The Greatest, Muhammad Ali, before him.
But with Obama out and Donald Trump in, Kaepernick is clearly signaling that we as a nation have been healed from the deep racial divides of last season in the NFL and Obama’s final season in office. The NFL increased the number of black head coaches in the league by two, Vance Joseph in Denver and Anthony Lynn in San Diego. Kaepernick and the NFL are making it clear: With Barack Obama out of office, race relations in the sport and the country are quickly recovering.
Trump’s tour of the African-American museum and meeting with the leaders of the HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), clearly had an effect on Kaepernick. Barely 40 days into Trump’s term, it looks as if Kaepernick believes Trump, not Obama, is the true uniter of races among presidents. Kaepernick could even end up as the backup quarterback for Trump’s hometown New York Jets. This looks like it could be a budding bromance—of the kind the country should celebrate after years of division.
Perhaps Trump can even invite the backup quarterback to the Oval Office for a one–on-one thank you for all his work helping to unite the NFL and the nation, post Obama. It would send a strong message from Kaepernick and Trump as uniter-in-chief, a luxury Kaepernick did not afford Obama on Sundays last season as the country found itself engulfed in race riots and controversial police shootings.
We can all learn a good lesson from this. Through kneeling, healing is possible, and with Colin Kaepernick and new President Trump united and standing for the same flag, the country is finally on the road to repair from the disastrous Obama era of an racist America.