Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton believes Colin Kaepernick is a “legend” for sacrificing his playing career in the pursuit of racial equality in the United States.
Over 200 NFL players knelt or raised a fist during the national anthem last weekend in response to controversial comments by US President Donald Trump.
But it was Kaepernick who began the movement, prior a 2016 preseason game, when he was quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers.
At the time he explained his position by saying: "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way."
Kaepernick, who led San Francisco to the 2012 Super Bowl, has been unable to find employment this season and many believe the 29-year-old has been frozen out because of his on-field political actions.
Newton is among those who believe Kaepernick has been unjustly treated.
"My hat goes off to the Colin Kaepernicks of the world," Newton told the Charlotte Observer. "He's made the ultimate sacrifice [as a player] and I respect that wholeheartedly.
"I can't let a moment go by without shedding light to that: A person that does have the talent to play, a person that should be in this league, but I feel as if he's not getting his just due because of his views.
"But that's a legend, right there. For him to think outside of himself, to raise awareness of something that, this is 365 days removed from his first initial stand, and now here we are doing the same things. And now everybody is kind of understanding what his reasoning was, and I respect that."