Brett Favre Says Colin Kaepernick Will One Day Have 'Hero Status' Similar To Pat Tillman
(CBS SPORTS) -- Brett Favre believes that the NFL and general sports world will soon look at quarterback Colin Kaepernick as a "hero" to the game of football in a similar fashion to the late Pat Tillman. During an interview with TMZ Sports, the Hall of Fame quarterback was asked if Kaepernick, who has not played in the NFL since 2016 when he started kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and systematic racism, would one day be held in similar regard to Jackie Robinson and other great athletes who also transcended the field of play.
It was in response to that question where Favre commended Kaepernick for fighting what he believes in and compared it to Pat Tillman. The Cardinals safety decided to leave the NFL following the attacks at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, to join the U.S. Army. In 2004, Tillman was killed by friendly fire while deployed in Afghanistan.
"It's not easy for a guy his age, black or white, Hispanic, whatever, to stop something that you've always dreamed of doing and put it on hold -- maybe forever -- for something that you believe in," Favre said of Kaepernick. "I can only think of -- right off the top of my head -- Pat Tillman's another guy who did something similar, and we regard him as a hero. So I'd assume that hero status will be stamped with Kaepernick as well."