Colin Kaepernick, Eric Reid Kneel During National Anthem Before MNF vs. Rams

Pregame rituals rarely make more headlines than the games themselves in the NFL, but San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick dominated the news cycle in the preseason because of his protests during the national anthem.

He carried his message into the regular season Monday, when he elected to kneel during the “The Star-Spangled Banner” before his team’s Week 1 game against the Los Angeles Rams.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com reported Kaepernick and 49ers safety Eric Reid kneeled Monday, and ESPN.com’s Darren Rovell shared visual evidence:

Eric Reid & Colin Kaepernick kneeling during National Anthem tonight pic.twitter.com/t687vLpG7q

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) September 13, 2016

Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com noted San Francisco defenders Eli Harold and Antoine Bethea held up their right fists during the anthem.

This came after Kaepernick sat or took a knee during the national anthem before the 49ers’ preseason contests to protest the way people of color are treated in the United States. Reid also took a knee with Kaepernick before the team’s final preseason game.

The quarterback explained his rationale to NFL.com’s Steve Wyche in August.

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick said. “To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”

Kaepernick initially sat during the anthem but changed his protest to a kneel after meeting with former Green Beret and Seattle Seahawks training-camp …

continue reading in source www.bleacherreport.com