Advertisement

Jim Harbaugh not on board with Colin Kaepernick [VIDEO]

By The Sports Xchange

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said he did not respect the method of protest used by his former pupil, Colin Kaepernick, to make a statement on social injustice.

The San Francisco 49ers' quarterback sat during the playing of the national anthem before Saturday night's preseason game against the Green Bay Packers.

Advertisement

"To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way," Kaepernick said. "There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."

Harbaugh coached the 49ers in 2012, when he benched veteran starter Alex Smith in favor of Kaepernick. They lost in the Super Bowl to the Baltimore Ravens, coached by John Harbaugh, who shared his thoughts on Kaepernick on Monday.

"Voltaire so eloquently stated, 'I may not agree with what you say, but I'll defend it until death your right to say it,'" John Harbaugh said. "That's a principle that our country is founded on. I don't think you cannot deny someone the right to speak out or mock or make fun or belittle anybody else's opinion."

Advertisement

Several players disagreed with Kaepernick's protest and others applauded him exercising his right.

The 49ers play at San Diego on Thursday. Kaepernick said he plans to continue sitting during the national anthem.

San Diego has a massive military population. Drew Brees, who played for the Chargers before leaving in free agency to join the New Orleans Saints, spoke out against Kaepernick's position.

"Sitting down for that, that is a blatant disrespect of the freedoms that that gives you," Brees said. "Like, it's an oxymoron that you're sitting down, disrespecting that flag that has given you the freedom to speak out."

Latest Headlines