Colin Kaepernick first sat during the National Anthem on Aug. 26, 2016, in a National Football League preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. The San Francisco 49ers quarterback explained his reasons afterward: “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.”
As the 2016-17 regular season began, Kaepernick kept protesting, though he now knelt instead of sitting. Roger Goodell, the NFL commissioner, was asked about Kaepernick’s protest. “I support our players when they want to see change in society, and we don't live in a perfect society,” he said.