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Why 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick Is Traded at NFL Deadline

By James LeBreton

Sep 1, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) walks up the tunnel after a 31-21 win over the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 1, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) walks up the tunnel after a 31-21 win over the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 12, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; (Editors note: Caption correction) San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and teammate 49ers free safety Eric Reid (35) kneel during the playing of the national anthem before a NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 12, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; (Editors note: Caption correction) San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and teammate 49ers free safety Eric Reid (35) kneel during the playing of the national anthem before a NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

The National Anthem Protest

49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick hasn’t stood for a national anthem since last season. However, it didn’t go public until after Week 3 of the preseason.

Kaepernick is free to make his own decisions. If he feels that strongly about something, then it would be wrong of him not to see it through.

However, even if the organization stands behind him, his protest is still a major distraction. Because it takes away from the focus of game, and why the players are on the field. When you’re a football player, the NFL is your employer. And when you’re on the field, you’re there to do a job.

A better approach would have been to donate the first million he makes, that he’s already allocated to his cause, and then spoke up on why he did it. Next, he should have done it after the game, off the field and during a press conference.

America is the land of the free, or at least it’s supposed to be. That’s precisely why Kaepernick is doing what he’s doing. But still the population is heavily divided because of his protest. Though there are many who feel his cause is noble, they still find fault in the way he chose to implement his plight. Kap used the NFL and the Star Spangled Banner as his platform.

If he went about it in a different way, then he would have been better received. Because most people who believe in civil rights are also a patriot of some sort. When you refuse to stand for a symbol of America then you anger those patriots. As the saying goes, “It’s not always what you say to others that’s offensive, it’s how you say it.”

Of course this is all speculation on my part. Nothing is a guarantee, especially in the world of sports.

However, one thing that is for sure is if Kaepernick is not the face of this franchise moving forward, he and his big contract don’t belong on this team.

Next: Why Starting 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick Now Doesn’t Make Sense

All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of NFL.com, Pro-Football-Reference.com and Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise indicated.