Vikings OL Alex Boone Rips Colin Kaepernick Over National Anthem Protest
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Alex Boone, now an offensive lineman for the Minnesota Vikings and once a teammate of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, had some choice words for him after Kaepernick sat during a national anthem over the weekend.
The 49ers were playing a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers, and Kaepernick chose to sit and not acknowledge the anthem in a form of protest over alleged police brutality involving African-American men.
Kaepernick said, "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."
Boone and Kaepernick were teammates as recently as last season when Boone was an offensive lineman for San Francisco. Boone has been outspoken since joining the Vikings, and Kaepernick's protest of the anthem didn't sit well with him. Boone has a brother serving in the U.S. Marines.
Boone said Kaepernick's pregame demonstration was "shameful" and that "there's a time and a place" for that kind of political speech.
"You should have some f***ing respect for people who served," Boone said Sunday after the Vikings' preseason win over San Diego. "Especially people that lost their life to protect our freedom. We're out here playing a game, making millions of dollars. People are losing their life, and you don't have the common courtesy to do that. That just drove me nuts."
Boone also said if they were still teammates and he had been there for Kaepernick's protest, "We probably would have had a problem on the sideline."
Kaepernick said he plans to continue his national anthem protest until he sees changes with how black people are treated.