SANTA CLARA -- When Colin Kaepernick's national anthem protest became public in August, there were all sorts of predictions and admonitions about how the stance would tear apart the 49ers' locker room.
They were wrong. The 49ers players on Friday voted Kaepernick the winner of the annual Len Eshmont Award, the team's most prestigious honor and one that's been won by team leaders Anquan Boldin, Frank Gore, NaVorro Bowman and Justin Smith the previous four years.
The award was established in 1957 and goes to the 49er who best exemplifies the "inspirational and courageous play of Eshmont", an original member of the inaugural 1946 squad.