Thursday 31 August 2017 18:30, UK
Green Bay Packers star Aaron Rodgers believes fellow quarterback Colin Kaepernick is "worthy" of a place on an NFL team's roster and that he is being shunned due to his protests against racial inequality in the USA.
Kaepernick became a controversial figure last year after he refused to stand for the national anthem throughout the season in what he called a protest against oppression of people of colour.
The former San Francisco 49ers QB opted out of his contract in March to become a free agent but, so far, no NFL teams have signed him for the upcoming season, which kicks off on Thursday next week.
"I think [Kaepernick] should be on a roster right now," Rodgers told ESPN magazine. "I think because of his protests, he's not.
"I'm gonna stand [for the anthem] because that's the way I feel about the flag - but I'm also 100 per cent supportive of my team-mates or any fellow players who are choosing not to.
"I think the best way I can say this is: I don't understand what it's like to be in that situation. What it is to be pulled over, or profiled, or any number of issues that have happened, that Colin was referencing - or any of my team-mates have talked to me about. But I know it's a real thing my black team-mates have to deal with.
"They have a battle for racial equality. That's what they're trying to get a conversation started around."
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The regular season of home and away matches run from September to December 2017, culminating in playffs from January 6, 2018 and the Super Bowl on February 4, 2018 at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota to determine the world champion.
