Rodney Harrison Says Colin Kaepernick Is Not Black, Later Apologizes For Not Knowing Kaepernick's Race
BOSTON (CBS) -- Colin Kaepernick's decision to sit during the national anthem last week has generated an incalculable number of responses from people, with most of them siding against the 49ers backup quarterback.
Former Patriots safety and current football analyst Rodney Harrison joined the masses who stand against Kaepernick, but he did it in a way that's gotten him into a bit of trouble.
On Tuesday morning on sports radio in Houston, Harrison said that Kaepernick -- who has a black father and a white mother -- is not black.
"I tell you this: I'm a black man. And Colin Kaepernick — he's not black," Harrison said, per USA Today. "He can not understand what I face and what other young black men and black people face, or people of color face, on a [daily] basis. When you walk in a grocery store, and you might have $2,000 or $3,000 in your pocket and you go up in to a Foot Locker and they're looking at you like you about to steal something. I don't think he faces those types of things."
Given Kaepernick's background, Harrison received a healthy level of criticism for the comment that Kaepernick is not black.
Rarely one to back down, Harrison took to Twitter to apologize. He went so far to say that he actually didn't know Kaepernick's background.
"I never intended to offend anyone , I was trying to speak about my experiences as a African American. I apologize to anyone that I offended, wasn't meant to be hurtful to anyone. God bless," Harrison wrote.
Harrison then added: "Last point I want people to know. I never even knew he was mixed."
Last point I want people to know. I never even knew he was mixed.
— Rodney Harrison (@Rodney_Harrison) August 30, 2016
"I should not have called Colin Kaepernick's race into question during this morning's radio interview," Harrison said. "It was a mistake and I apologize."