Why I Stopped Watching the NFL: Colin Kaepernick and the Protests

I used to be a huge NFL fan. I loved watching the games, following my favorite teams, and getting hyped up for the playoffs. But then something happened that changed my perspective on the league.

Colin Kaepernick, a talented young quarterback, decided to take a stand against police brutality and racial injustice by kneeling during the national anthem. Suddenly, the NFL didn’t seem so fun anymore.

I stopped watching because I couldn’t support a league that was so clearly okay

The NFL’s Response to Colin Kaepernick’s Protest

In 2016, Colin Kaepernick, then a quarterback for the San Francisco
49ers, began sitting or taking a knee during the playing of the national anthem as a way to protest police brutality and racial injustice in the United States. His action quickly drew both support and criticism from across the country.

The NFL’s initial response to Kaepernick’s protest was muted. Commissioner Roger Goodell said that players “should” stand for the anthem, but stopped short of mandating it. Several team owners also spoke out, saying that while they respected Kaepernick’s right to protest, they hoped he would do so in a different way.

Kaepernick continued to kneel during the anthem throughout the 2016 season, and other players soon joined his protest. By the 2017 season, there were dozens of players taking a knee or raising a fist during the anthem, prompting more angry responses from President Donald Trump and others.

The NFL did not take any formal action against protesting players until 2018, when it instituted a new rule requiring all players on the field to stand for the anthem or stay in the locker room until it was over. The rule was met with immediate criticism from several players and civil rights groups, and it was eventually dropped amid intense public pressure.

The NFL has continued to be embroiled in controversy over the protests in subsequent years. In 2019, several high-profile stars including Tom Brady and Odell Beckham Jr. raised their fists during the anthem, prompting more angry reactions from Trump. In 2020, amid nationwide protests over police brutality following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, several NFL teams announced that they would remain in their locker rooms during the anthem this season.

The Fallout from the NFL’s Response

Since 2016, when then-49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice, the NFL has been embroiled in a cultural battle. Critics have accused the league of blackballing Kaepernick and other players who joined his protest, while supporters have praised the NFL for its efforts to improve race relations and support Players Coalition’s work on social justice issues.

The NFL’s response to the protests has been widely criticized. In 2017, the league issued a new rule requiring players to stand for the anthem or stay in the locker room, but rescinded it after backlash from players and fans. In 2018, the league approved a $90 million social justice partnership with Players Coalition, but some members of the group criticized the league for not doing enough.

The protests have also had a financial impact on the league. In 2017, NFL ratings declined for the first time in years, and some attributed it to viewers’ displeasure with how the league was handling the protests. Several sponsors have also pulled their support from the NFL due to the protests.

The issue came to a head again in 2019 when several high-profile players, including Kaepernick’s former teammate Eric Reid and Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Jenkins, spoke out against the league’s treatment of protesters. Reid accused the NFL of lying about its commitment to social justice, while Jenkins said that Players Coalition was “nothing more than an attempt to appease us.”

The protests have divided fans, with some saying they will no longer watch or support the NFL because of its handling of the issue. For many, however, football is still a beloved pastime and these cultural battles will not keep them from tuning in on Sundays.

The Impact of the NFL’s Response

Since Colin Kaepernick first took a knee during the national anthem to protest racial injustice in 2016, the NFL has been grappling with how to respond. For some fans, like myself, the league’s handling of the situation has been a turnoff.

Kaepernick and other players who have followed his lead by kneeling or raising a fist during “The Star-Spangled Banner” have made it clear that their protest is about police brutality and racial inequality, not disrespect for the military or the flag. But the NFL has failed to adequately address these issues, instead opting for an approach that is heavy on patriotism and light on substance.

The result is a tone-deafness that has alienated many fans, especially those of us who are supportive of the protest movement. In a time when the country is so divided, the NFL could be using its platform to bring people together. Instead, it seems more interested in keeping everyone happy — and that’s just not possible when you’re dealing with such a controversial topic.

If the NFL wants to win back fans like me, it needs to start taking seriously the issues that players like Colin Kaepernick are trying to highlight.

The Importance of Colin Kaepernick’s Protest

Since Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the National Anthem in 2016, athlete protests have been a hot topic in the United States. What began as a way to take a stand against police brutality has morphed into a much larger movement, with athletes from all corners of the sports world using their platform to speak out on social justice issues. And while many fans have praised these athletes for using their voice to effect change, others have called for them to stick to sports.

Colin Kaepernick’s protest was particularly significant because he was one of the most visible NFL players at the time. His decision to kneel during the National Anthem brought attention to the issue of police brutality against black Americans, and started a conversation that is still ongoing today. For many fans, myself included, his protest was the final straw that led us to stop watching the NFL.

The NFL has long been viewed as one of America’s most divided institutions, and Kaepernick’s protest only served to widen that divide. On one side are those who see the protests as disrespectful to the flag and to those who have served our country. On the other side are those who believe that the protests are about much more than just football, and that they are a necessary part of creating change in our society. I fall into the latter camp.

I stopped watching the NFL because I no longer feel good about supporting an institution that I believe is actively working against social progress. I cannot in good conscience cheer for a league that silences its players when they speak out on important issues, and I believe that Colin Kaepernick’s protest was an important step forward in our country’s fight for equality and justice for all.