Colin Kaepernick struck a chord when he sat in protest during the singing of the national anthem before recent NFL preseason games.
The ?? ?? ???quarterback's statement stirred emotions on both sides. Those who hated him burned his jersey. Those who love him have been buying them in droves.
Kaepernick's jersey is now the top seller on NFL.com, beating out star Odell Beckham Jr. and popular rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott. ESPN reported that a source said more Kaepernick apparel was sold in the past week than in the past eight months.
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Kaepernick had been one of the fastest-rising stars in the NFL, leading the San Francisco Forty Niners to the Super Bowl in only his second year in the league. In recent years, his play has declined, leaving him as a backup.
Kaepernick has been at the center of controversy since late August when he first sat during the anthem. When asked, he said he was "not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color."
That was enough to spark a controversy that has even drawn a comment from President Barack Obama, who said Kaepernick was exercising his first amendment right to free speech on issues that "need to be talked about."
The fervor of the discussion has led to Kaepernick's jersey becoming a symbol for this who support his stance on police violence.
Kaepernick is not slated to start for his team.
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Sports and politics have mixed plenty of times in the past decades, but there are few other examples of jerseys for individuals becoming distinct political statements. The jersey of Jason Collins enjoyed a spell of popularity after he became the first openly gay athlete in one of the four major American professional sports.