Colin Kaepernick applauded former teammate Eric Reid after Kap found out that Reid will continue the national anthemprotests during the next NFL season. Kap took to Twitter, writing, “Unwavering. Unrelenting. Unflinching. Unapologetic. Love you Brother!”
Kap and Reid first began kneeling during the National Anthem three years ago, in order to protest racial injustice and systematic oppression. Back then, they both played for the San Francisco 49ers.
“If a day comes that I feel like we’ve addressed those issues, and our people aren’t being discriminated against or being killed over traffic violations, then I’ll decide it’s time to stop protesting,” Reid told the Charlotte Observer. “I haven’t seen that happen.”
“It feels like we’re going backwards,” Reid continued. “You’d like to think we’re past certain things, the way we treat people. I thought we were at a time where you love your neighbor as yourself. But as I’ve studied history—it hasn’t repeated itself necessarily, but it’s dressed a little different and is acting the same.”
“We’ve got to keep fighting,” he added. “Got to keep agitating. Got to keep making sure that we put pressure on the people who make the laws, and the decisions, in this country.”
After Reid signed with the Carolina Panthers as a safety last September, he continued protesting, kneeling during the 13 games that followed after he joined. In February 2019, the team signed him for three years.
After leaving the 49ers in 2016, Kap is still a free agent. The two sued the NFL for collusion grievance, which they settled in February or an undisclosed sum.
