Colin Kaepernick will reportedly stand for national anthem in 2017

Colin Kaepernick has apparently decided that he will end his protest of the national anthem next season.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Kaepernick plans to stand when “The Star-Spangled Banner” is played before games in 2017, as he feels his message was received with his decision to take a knee last year.

Kaepernick no longer wants the past method of protest to detract from the positive change that he believes has been created, per sources.

Kaepernick believes the amount of national discussion on social inequality — as well as support from other NFL and NBA players, women’s soccer and college and high school athletes nationwide — affirmed the message he was trying to deliver.

Kaepernick’s decision to protest the national anthem last season was a major news story for much of the year, as were some of the controversial political remarks he made. With his agents having announced that he will opt out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers and become a free agent, you have to wonder if Kaepernick is assuring teams that he will not be a distraction, even if he still fully believes in the cause he was supporting by protesting.