Colin Kaepernick Chosen for 49er Highest Honor After Bravely Calling Attention to Police Brutality
San Francisco 49ers players have voted for quarterback Colin Kaepernick to receive the Len Eshmont award, which is described as the team’s most prestigious award. The award is given to the player who “best exemplifies the inspirational and courageous play of Len Eshmont,” according to the 49ers’ website. The Eshmont Award has been given to NFL Hall of Fame 49ers like Joe Montana, Steve Young, Roger Craig and Jerry Rice. This is Kaepernick’s first time winning any team award during his six seasons in San Francisco.
The award comes after a season overshadowed by controversy centered around Kaepernick’s decision to kneel for the national anthem in protest against social injustices such as police brutality. Colin Kaepernick’s protest became one of the most divisive issues of discussion during the 2016 election because many critics think it is disrespectful to the service of soldiers and police officers. Players on other teams were constantly asked about their thoughts on the protests, and many criticized it for the same reasons. The national discussion became a volatile mix of politics and race fueled by the competitive nature of conversation that defines American sports and pop culture.
The controversy also generated many extreme responses as critics showed their displeasure by burning Kaepernick’s jersey, which eventually became number one on the league’s sales charts in the weeks following the protests. At an Alabama high school football game, the crowd cheered after a local pastor said players who don’t stand for the US national anthem should be shot.
Kaepernick’s protest inspired many other athletes around the country to kneel for the national anthem as well in solidarity with his message calling for the country to live up to the values of equality in justice. He was first joined by teammate Eric Reid and then other NFL players began to kneel in support or raise one fist while standing, like the 1968 Olympic protest for black equality. The Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs also showed support with the entire team locking arms as opposed to kneeling. High school football players, sometimes even entire teams kneeled for the anthem to show solidarity.
The protests spread to other sports with U.S. Women’s National Team soccer star Megan Rapinoe kneeling before a team game. WNBA players joined the protests, including the entire Indiana Fever team before a playoff game. College volleyball players joined, as well as various other college athletes.
