Colin Kaepernick may very well be the most controversial figure in recent NFL history…and, given just how many wild stories we’ve gotten from the gridiron, that’s saying something.

Kaepernick rose to prominence and a second stringer for the San Francisco 49er’s whose on-the-field protests against racial injustice offended a great many patriotic Americans.  Kaepernick had chosen to kneel during the playing of the National Anthem – something that drew a great deal of criticism not only of the player himself, but of the NFL who was unwilling to address what many fans believed was an offensive maneuver.

Now, just a few years after Kaepernick’s NFL career ended, league commissioner Roger Goodell believes that Kaepernick should be recognized for his protest.

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Colin Kaepernick was briefly mentioned during NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s Super Bowl LV press conference on Thursday ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs’ matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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Amid the NFL’s increased awareness about social justice issues, Goodell said that he was “thankful” that the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback raised concerns when he did 4 years ago.

“I said very clearly back in June that we wish we had listened to our players earlier, and we had a lot of players that were coming and bringing these issues to us,” he told reporters, via the Mercury News. “It didn’t start last summer; it started over two years ago and we’ve been working with the Players Coalition over that period of time.”

Goodell added: “Colin was one of the individuals who obviously brought a great deal of attention to this, and, for that, he deserves our recognition for that and appreciation.”

The statement comes as the NFL continues to struggle with revenue, not only on account of Kaepernick’s politics pushing conservative fans away, but also as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage.

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