Colin Kaepernick showed up to New Era Field in Buffalo Sunday, ahead of his first start of the season, wearing a T-shirt featuring the face of Muhammad Ali. Kaepernick—who’s made international headlines this season for his refusal to stand for the national anthem in protest of police brutality against African Americans—was clearly paying homage to another star athlete who used his platform to challenge perceived injustices.
Kaepernick wasn’t the only one looking to make a statement via a T-shirt Sunday. Sports Illustrated writer Robert Klemko—who's been tweeting scenes from outside of Ralph Wilson Stadium ahead of the tilt between the San Francisco 49ers and the Buffalo Bills—posted images of T-shirts, which are being sold for $10, that feature disturbing anti-Kaepernick imagery. Once such shirt includes an image of the quarterback with a rifle scope trained directly on his chest paired with the caption, “Wanted, Notorious Disgrace to America.” Klemko emphasized that the t-shirts are not being sold by the Bills organization.
He also posted videos of drunk Bills fans tackling makeshift dummies of Kaepernick after being egged on by chants of “tackle the Muslim.” The stadium was far more subdued inside, however Kaepernick was met with the usual boos that greet opposing quarterbacks during pregame warm ups.
While Sunday’s scene was definitely a poor showing for Bills fans, who are considered among the rowdiest in the NFL, it wasn’t all bad. There was a faction of fans who stood with Kaepernick and held signs that read things like “Bills Fans for Black Lives,” and “Kneel for Racial Justice.”
As for Kaepernick, today’s performance will be a chance for him to finally focus on what he’s paid to do, and it will be crucial in determining whether or not we see him on a football field again this year.
