Aaron Rodgers seldom shares his opinion on controversial topics, but the two-time NFL MVP has no problem saying he believes Colin Kaepernick is being blackballed.
In a lengthy feature published by Mina Kimes of ESPN The Magazine on Wednesday, Rodgers was asked for his thoughts on a subject that has been one of the hottest in sports for the better part of a year. Simply put, Rodgers believes Kaepernick’s political views are the reason he has not been signed.
“I think he should be on a roster right now,” he said. “I think because of his protests, he’s not.”
Rodgers also said it would be “ignorant” to think Kaepernick’s national anthem protest has not played a role in his inability to find a job in the NFL. While the Green Bay Packers quarterback is not planning on joining any protests himself, he said he fully supports those who do and has benefitted from conversations with new teammate Martellus Bennett and others.
“I’m gonna stand because that’s the way I feel about the flag — but I’m also 100 percent supportive of my teammates or any fellow players who are choosing not to,” Rodgers added. “They have a battle for racial equality. That’s what they’re trying to get a conversation started around.
“I think the best way I can say this is: I don’t understand what it’s like to be in that situation. What it is to be pulled over, or profiled, or any number of issues that have happened, that Colin was referencing — or any of my teammates have talked to me about. … But I know it’s a real thing my black teammates have to deal with.”
As we know, not everyone agrees with Rodgers’ opinion about Kaepernick. Some think Kaepernick simply isn’t good enough to play in the NFL, where others like this star running back fall somewhere in the middle. Rodgers must feel strongly about the topic, otherwise he would have offered no comment.
