He added, “I’m going to continue to stand with the people that are being oppressed ... To me, this is something that has to change and when there is significant change and I feel like that flag represents what it’s supposed to represent and this country is representing people the way that it’s supposed to, I'll stand.”
Kaepernick had been sitting during the National Anthem for the past two preseason games. It wasn’t until the night of Aug. 26, when he was suited up to play, that the national media noticed.
The tweet from Rice, who played 20 seasons and is considered by some to be the greatest NFL player of all time, drew a mixture of comments.
Another NFL legend, former Cleveland Browns running back Jim Brown, also considered among the greatest NFL players of all time, said that he’s “with Colin Kaepernick ‘100 percent.’”
“I listened to him and he makes all the sense in the world. He’s within his rights and he’s telling the truth as he sees it,” Brown told NFL.com. “I am with him 100 percent. ... Now if you ask me ‘Would I do that?’ No I won’t, because I see it a little differently. I’m an American citizen, I pay my taxes, I want my equal rights but this is my country, and consequently I don’t want to open up for ISIS or anybody that will take away what we’ve already gained.”