Jaylen Brown Wears Colin Kaepernick Jersey To Celtics Game On Super Bowl Sunday
BOSTON (CBS) -- Celtics forward Jaylen Brown is much more than just a basketball player. On Super Bowl Sunday, he decided to make a social statement.
The 22-year-old arrived at the TD Garden on Sunday sporting a No. 7 football jersey that said "#ImWithKap" -- a message of support for Colin Kaepernick.
It was an outfit that caught the eye -- and appreciation -- of Kaepernick himself.
My Brother @FCHWPO has always known what's up! pic.twitter.com/IFuAwT80EP
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) February 3, 2019
A year ago, Brown pledged a $10,000 donation in support of a Kaepernick-backed charity. Brown also attended Kaepernick's W.E.B. DuBois Medal ceremony in October at Harvard University.
My young homie Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) came out for today's game rockin the #ImWithKap jersey.
— L E F T, PhD ⚫️ (@LeftSentThis) February 3, 2019
No matter how hard they try to demonize Kaepernick, there's no amount of spin that can keep folks from recognizing the truth, that Kaepernick is punished for protesting injustice. pic.twitter.com/IFhf7BtwDF
Kaepernick, of course, has been unable to land an NFL job after opting out of his 49ers contract in 2017. He's currently in the midst of a collusion suit against the NFL while claiming that owners decided to freeze him out of the league after his protests against police brutality and racial injustice in America.
Kaepernick remained a hot topic during Super Bowl week, with commissioner Roger Goodell facing several questions about the quarterback during his annual state of the league address.
"I've said it many times -- privately, publicly -- that our clubs are the ones that make decisions on players that they want to have on their roster," Goodell said. "I think if a team decides that Colin Kaepernick or any other player can help their team win, that's what they'll do. They want to win, and they make those decisions individually in the best interest of their club."
Kaepernick's attorney, Mark Geragos, did not believe the commissioner was telling the truth.
"I think the commissioner was roasted appropriately on social media," Mark Geragos said on The Today Show. "Anybody who believes that would believe that Mark Sanchez was a better choice, or some of the other -- how should I put it delicately -- people who were well past their prime who were signed this year. ... Why is it that nobody ever gave him a workout? Why didn't anybody ever bring him in and see where his skills were at? I think the whole thing is basically a ruse."