Reaction to Kaepernick is widespread
SAN FRANCISCO - From the White House to San Francisco police union headquarters, Colin Kaepernick’s name came up Monday as his decision to sit down during the national anthem reached far beyond football.
And many aren’t thrilled with the 49ers quarterback’s strong words about why he is doing it: To instigate change and challenge authority when it comes to race relations and what he considers police brutality.
Even his former coach, outspoken Michigan leader Jim Harbaugh, chimed in from afar in disagreement with Kaepernick’s tactics — clarifying some earlier remarks that questioned the quarterback’s motivation.
“I apologize for misspeaking my true sentiments. To clarify, I support Colin’s motivation. It’s his method of action that I take exception to,” Harbaugh posted on Twitter.
A day after Kaepernick called Donald Trump “openly racist,” the Republican presidential candidate fired back on Seattle’s KIRO radio.
“I have followed it, and I think it’s personally not a good thing. I think it’s a terrible thing,” Trump said. “And you know, maybe he should find a country that works better for him. Let him try, it won’t happen.”
Kaepernick, who has sat through the anthem for all three 49ers preseason games so far, is prepared to keep fighting for what he believes in — even alone.
“The fact that it has blown up like this, I think it’s a good thing. It brings awareness,” Kaepernick said Sunday. “Now, I think people are really talking about it. …There is police brutality. People of color have been targeted by police.”
Seahawks star Richard Sherman said of Kaepernick: “I think he could have picked a better platform and a better way to do it, but every day they say athletes are so robotic and do everything by the book and then when somebody takes a stand like that, he gets his head chopped off.”
The Cardinals on Monday released former Alabama quarterback Jake Coker and 11 others players as the team must cut down to 75 players by Tuesday’s 1 p.m. mandatory deadline.
Coker, an undrafted free-agent rookie, was waived upon reaching an injury settlement with the club. He injured his knee a week ago and coach Bruce Arians said the quarterback may need arthroscopic surgery.
The move means Matt Barkley, the No. 3 quarterback behind Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton, is earmarked to play the entire game on Thursday night when the Cardinals close out the preseason against the visiting Denver Broncos.
So far, Barkley has been average, according to Arians.
Also released on Monday were guard Jake Bernstein, receiver Amir Carlisle, tight end Gerald Christian, tackle Clay DeBord, long snapper Daniel Dillon, defensive tackle Iosia Iosia, cornerback Asa Jackson, receiver Franky Okafor, cornerback Shaun Prater, punter Garrett Swanson and safety Tyrequek Zimmerman.