Pat Tillman left in the NFL in 2001 to join the Army, before being killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan
Monday 22 June 2020 07:31, UK
Colin Kaepernick will eventually have "hero status" like legendary Pat Tillman, says Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre.
Tillman was a standout safety for the Arizona Cardinals who left in the NFL after the 2001 season to join the Army. He was later killed at age 27 by friendly fire in Afghanistan in 2004.
Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since the 2016 campaign, a season in which he began kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality.
"I can only think of, off the top of my head, Pat Tillman who did something similar, and we regard him as a hero," Favre told TMZ Sports. "So I'd assume that hero status will be stamped with Kaepernick well."
Kaepernick played six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and was their quarterback when they lost 34-31 to the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII following the 2012 season.
The 32-year-old is still hoping to receive another shot to play in the NFL. However, his stands against racial injustice and lack of willingness to stop kneeling have played a part in why he has remained unsigned.
Favre added: "It's not easy for a guy his age, black or white, Hispanic, whatever, to stop something that you've always dreamed of doing, and put it on hold, maybe forever, for something that you believe in."
Favre said he hopes Kaepernick will receive another opportunity to play in the NFL.
He said: "I think from a football sense, I can't imagine him being that far out of shape or that far out of touch with football that he doesn't deserve a shot.
"He's still young, and hasn't been hit in several years. So there's no reason to think that he's lost that much of a step."
