Rodney Harrison apologized on Twitter Tuesday afternoon for criticizing Colin Kaepernick, and he provided a very questionable excuse for saying Kaepernick is “not black.”
In a series of tweets, Harrison apologized to anyone he offended and claimed he had no idea Kaepernick was biracial.
I never intended to offend anyone , I was trying to speak about my experiences as a African American.
— Rodney Harrison (@Rodney_Harrison) August 30, 2016
I apologize to anyone that I offended , wasn't meant to be hurtful to anyone. God bless
— Rodney Harrison (@Rodney_Harrison) August 30, 2016
Last point I want people to know. I never even knew he was mixed.
— Rodney Harrison (@Rodney_Harrison) August 30, 2016
I should not have called Colin Kaepernick’s race into question during this morning’s radio interview. It was a mistake and I apologize.
— Rodney Harrison (@Rodney_Harrison) August 30, 2016
Kaepernick was adopted by white parents, but his biological father is African American. In a radio interview on Tuesday, Harrison said he disagrees with Kaepernick’s national anthem protest and said the 49ers quarterback is “not black.” You can read the full context of Harrison’s remarks here.
Did Harrison really think Kaepernick was white? We have our doubts. What likely happened is the former NFL safety saw how negatively people were reacting to his comments and came up with a lame excuse. A number of people have openly disagreed with Kaepernick (such as this Niners legend), but Harrison’s criticism was downright ignorant.
