In 2016, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick became the NFL player to take a knee during the national anthem. It was a peaceful protest against racial injustice and police brutality, spurred by a string of alarming incidents where cops killed unarmed black men. Initially, Kaepernick began sitting on the bench during the national anthem. However, US Army special forces veteran Nate Boyer persuaded him to kneel instead because in the military that action is considered respectful.

Despite the seal of approval from an American vet, conservatives found taking a knee during the national anthem profoundly disrespectful - to the flag, to the country and to military veterans. At rallies, Donald Trump blasted the protestors with zeal, declaring them "son of bitches" who should be "fired." Kaepernick became a free agent, and remains one to this day. Supporters claim he's been blacklisted. In protest, celebrities such as Rihanna, Jay-Z and Cardi B have boycotted the NFL, which might explain this year's lackluster Super Bowl halftime show.

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During last Sunday's Super Bowl, several celebrities posted on social media to voice their support of Kaepernick, who they believe is being treated unfairly. "For those of you who thought I was watchin the Super Bowl… we beefin," wrote Rihanna on Instagram, alongside a drawing of the 31-year-old quarterback. In response, Kaepernick shared her post with the caption, "appreciate @badgalriri keepin it ?✊?."

But it's not just singers and actors. On Super Bowl weekend, NBA stars LeBron James and Kevin Durant expressed support for Kaepernick by rocking his limited edition No. 7 jersey. Nike began selling the sportswear after making the inspirational activist the face of their new advertising campaign last September. Conservative sports fans were so outraged they posted videos of themselves burning their Nike gear in protest. (That'll show 'em!) Meanwhile, Nike's market value rose to an all-time high of $6 billion.

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On Twitter, Kaepernick shared photos of James and Durant rocking his jersey, and thanked them for showing solidarity.

The kneeling protest has become a part of the American culture war, with football fans complaining that politics is ruining their sport. Back in August 2016, Kaepernick responded to the "unpatriotic" criticism, telling the media, "I have great respect for the men and women that have fought for this country... And they fight for freedom, they fight for the people, they fight for liberty and justice, for everyone. That’s not happening. People are dying in vain because this country isn’t holding their end of the bargain up, as far as giving freedom and justice, liberty to everybody."

He continued, "There is police brutality. People of color have been targeted by police. So that’s a large part of it and they’re government officials. They are put in place by the government. So that’s something that this country has to change. There’s things we can do to hold them more accountable. Make those standards higher."

For the past two years or so, several NFL players have found themselves at the centre of a political debate after making the decision to kneel during the national anthem as a protest against racism in the USA. The most notable of these players is Colin Kaepernick, who began demonstrating in such a way back in 2016.

Originally, Kaepernick sat on the bench during the anthem but, in September 2016, after a former NFL player and U.S. military veteran, Nate Boyer, he began kneeling on the field as a sign of respect for those who have fought for the country. Since then, others have followed suit - almost always to a negative response.

Most recently, Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson of the Miami Dolphins took a knee during the anthem before their game against the Tennessee Titans this weekend. Robert Quinn also protested by raising a fist while everyone sang.

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Kaepernick shared his support for the players, saying: "My Brothers @kstills and @ithinkisee12 continue to show their unwavering strength by fighting for the oppressed! They have not backed down, even when attacked and intimidated. Their courage will move the world forward!"

He then shared the quote: "Love is at the root of our resistance!"

The protests are against all forms of racism, of course, but take a primary interest in the continued racial prejudice shown by law enforcement officers towards black Americans. Just today, in fact, a white police officer has been charged with manslaughter after shooting her unarmed black neighbour in his own home. She claimed that she thought it was her own house, and that he had broken in.

Unfortunately, far too many similar stories have made the press in recent years, meaning that the incident is not a one-off, but rather part of a much larger, more sinister pattern.

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Despite their good intentions, however, the players kneeling in protest have received a lot of hate and negative criticism for their actions.

Last week, when Kaepernick became the face of the new Nike campaign, thousands of people took to social media to announce that they would be boycotting the sportswear brand, with some even going so far as to burn and destroy products that they had already bought from the company.

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Even President Donald Trump has weighed in on the matter more than once.

Back in 2017, he said at a rally: "Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a b***h off the field right now. Out! He’s fired. He’s fired!’" And then, after the new Nike campaign was released, he said: "I think it’s a terrible message," before adding, "Nike is a tenant of mine. They pay a lot of rent."

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None of that could get in the way of Stills, Wilson, and Quinn, though, and it's unlikely that it'll prevent any further protests. In fact, the more publicity that demonstrations like this get, the more they are likely to occur.

These three players, along with Kaepernick, will no doubt be remembered as cultural icons who campaigned for change when nobody was willing to listen. All those who burned up their Nike gear, on the other hand, will probably go down in history for very different reasons.

Colin Kaepernick has become extremely famous for a very simple act. Taking a knee during the national anthem last year, the 49ers quarterback has become a center of America's debate on police brutality, protest, and racial justice. He has been talked about and debated for far longer than anyone, especially himself, thought he would be. As the football protests have reached a fever pitch this year, with President Trump criticizing players taking a knee, Kaepernick has once again been thrust into the national spotlight. With all this attention, GQ ran a cover story featuring Kaepernick, and bestowed him with the title of 'Citizen of the Year'. [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/ShaunKing/status/930080151261667328]] Numerous famous voices were quoted on the story to discuss Kaepernick, who himself gave no quotations for the magazine. Rapper J. Cole was quoted in the GQ story, speaking glowingly about Kaepernick: "You're talking about a guy in his athletic prime, who's lived his whole life dreaming about playing football at a level that millions of kids dream to get to. And in his first big season, he takes his team to within five yards of winning a Super Bowl. But then, at some point in time, he becomes conscious about what's happening in the world. And suddenly something that he's been doing blindly for his whole life—standing for the national anthem—now feels uncomfortable. Why? Because now it feels phony! It feels like, Man, how can I stand for this thing when this country is not holding itself true to the principles it says it stands for? I feel like we're lying. And look what happens to him. Had he not done that, this guy would be making millions of dollars right now. Period, point blank. And more important than the money, he was living his dream. He sacrificed his dream." Ava DuVernay, the filmmaker behind both Selma and 13th, said: "I see what he's done as art. I believe that art is seeing the world that doesn't exist. A lot of people excel at creativity—making TV, movies, painting, writing books—but you can be an artist in your own life. Civil rights activists are artists. Athletes are artists. People who imagine something that is not there. I think some folks see his protests, his resistance, as not his work. Not intentional. Not strategic. Not as progressive action. As if this was just a moment that he got caught up in. This was work. This is work that he's doing." Back in August of 2016, Kaepernick said: "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder." He stood up for what he believed in, and used his freedom of speech to advance his causes. What do you think of the cover? Is he the best candidate for 'Citizen of the Year'?

Colin Kaepernick divides opinion among many NFL fans. There are those who believe his refusal to stand up for the national anthem before a preseason game was him simply exercising his right to protest, and there are others who believe that he is a disgrace to the sport and his country. However, one thing that cannot be denied is that he is a talented player, and its a shame that he is now a free agent now due to a peaceful protest. For those that are unaware, Kaepernick refused to stand for the American national anthem during a pre-season game in 2016, and it sparked outrage across social media. Speaking to the media about his protest, Kaepernick said: "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder" The story continued to develop throughout the season, with other players joining Kaepernick in his protest and either kneeling or raising their fist during the national anthem to show support with the Black Lives Matter movement as well as the quarterback, who had received abuse and death threats online because of his protest. However, Kaepernick refused to stop his protest, and speaking to the press later in the season, he said that he would continue to do so until he could see significant change. "Yes, I'll continue to sit. I'm going to continue to stand with the people that are being oppressed. To me this is something that has to change. "When there's significant change and I feel like that flag represents what it's supposed to represent, this country is representing people the way that it's supposed to, I'll stand." Due to his controversial protest, Kaepernick's jersey quickly became the most sold in the NFL, while he was also the least popular player in the sport. But, despite many people believing he deserves the treatment he received, one NFL legend has called on the quarterback to be allowed a return to the sport. Tom Brady, who is arguably the most famous player in NFL history, has called on a team to take a chance on Kaepernick due to his talents in the sport. When asked if he sees the player returning to the NFL, Brady said: "I certainly hope so." "I’ve always watched him and admired him, the way that he’s played," "He was a great young quarterback, he came to our stadium and beat us, and took his team to the Super Bowl in 2012. He accomplished a lot in the pros, as a player, and he’s certainly qualified. I hope he gets a shot.” It's good to see Brady back a fellow professional who is being treated unfairly due to his personal opinion, which in the grand scheme of things, has done no harm to anyone whatsoever. According to a variety of media sources, there are plenty of teams looking at Kaepernick and no doubt as the season goes on and players pick up injuries, we will see him adorn a team's jersey once again.

Back in 2016, NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick made headlines around the world for his method of protest against police brutality.

Kaepernick refused to stand during the national anthem - choosing to kneel down instead - and this went on to spark an nationwide discussion on systematic racism and the most appropriate way in which to protest against it.

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While many praised the quarterback for drawing attention to the plight that many people of colour in the US face, others criticised his method of protest, claiming it was un-American. Some of these critics even went as far as to say that what he had done was an insult to his country and the veterans who had served it.

In any case, Kaepernick opted out of his contract with the 49ers after the close of the 2016 season in order to become an unrestricted free agent. He had planned to find other roles within the NFL - but the offers never came.

In February 2019, he reached a settlement with the NFL in the collusion case he brought against them following his protest.

It's now been over two years since his decision to opt out of the contract and the athlete is still waiting for his next opportunity in the NFL.

On Wednesday, in fact, Kaepernick posted a video to Twitter in which he filmed himself working out at the gym:

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"5am. 5 days a week. For 3 years. Still ready," were the words he in the caption and repeated in the video itself. The video also revealed that he'd been "denied work for 889 days".

In the last few years, Kaepernick has continued with his activism and promoting important causes. He also became the face of a Nike ad campaign, a campaign which saw "record engagement".