Colin Kaepernick On Cover Of Time Magazine For National Anthem Protest Debate

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The debate over national anthem protests has landed Colin Kaepernick on the cover of Time magazine this week.

The magazine will be tackling the issue of how the protests the San Francisco 49ers quarterback started have started a debate about privilege pride and patriotism.

Kaepernick started sitting for the national anthem during the preseason, but it wasn't noticed until the team's third preseason game. After criticism and some advice from members of the military, Kaepernick changed the protest to kneeling in the team's preseason finale, where he was joined by teammate Eric Reid.

The protest has gained momentum and notoriety in the last week with the shooting death of Terence Crutcher, an unarmed black man in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and violent protests over the shooting of Keith Lamont Scott in North Carolina.

Recently, Kaepernick has disclosed he's been the target of death threats on social media, but that they won't sway his message.

Earlier this week, 49ers legend Jerry Rice did an about-face after his earlier criticism of Kaepernick and came out in support of the quarterback.

"As Americans we all have rights!" Rice tweeted on Tuesday. "I'm hoping we all come together."

But Kaepernick's decision to kneel for the national anthem has drawn criticism, even in seemingly unrelated events. A New York Congressman took the arrest of a suspect in a New York City bombing as a chance to take a shot on Twitter.

Rep. Lee Zeldin tweeted "Suspect in custody. You are welcome Colin Kaepernick."

Kaepernick's jersey sales have sold in the wake of his protest, and he says he'll donate the proceeds to charity. This is in addition to $1 million he pledged to help underserved commmunities, and $1 million the San Francisco 49ers have donated to improve racial and economic inequality.