Justice

This NFL Star Just Ended the Debate About Colin Kaepernick on the Conan O'Brien Show

September 21st 2016

In an interview with Conan O'Brien, a retired NFL star just ended the debate about Colin Kaepernick's protest of racial inequality. In a Tuesday episode of O'Brien's late night show on TBS, Marshawn Lynch revealed the truth about Kaepernick's protest: It's only a threat to people who are racist.

O'Brien asked the former Seattle Seahawks running back what he thought about Kaepernick's controversial protest of the national anthem.

"Colin Kaepernick, you know, lot's of opinions out there about what he's doing, taking a knee during the national anthem," said O'Brien. "What are your thoughts? I really respect your opinion. What do you think?"

Lynch responded with a blunt defense of Kaepernick's protest. He said that he would rather see Kaepernick take a knee during the national anthem than be killed.

"Well I mean you know with what's going on, I would rather see him take a knee then stand up, put his hands up, and get murdered, so I mean," said Lynch.

Lynch went on to to explain that only racist Americans would see Kaepernick's protest as a threat. He said that the disproportionate number of police shootings of minorities is a problem that needs to be addressed.

"My take on it is, [expletive] it's got to start somewhere and if that was the starting point, I just hope people open up their eyes to see that there's really a problem going on and something needs to be done for it to stop. And I mean if you're really not racist then you won't see what he's doing as a threat to America, but just addressing a problem that we have."

ESPN sports analyst Darren Rovell tweeted a list of the most disliked players in the NFL right now, according to a recent poll. Kaepernick, who continues to take a knee during the national anthem every week to protest police brutality, tops the list.

Vice News managing editor Caitlyn Kelly put the list into context. Kaepernick is more hated for protesting police brutality than players who have been accused of violence against women and player misconduct.

Since last week, police killed a child and two black men in high-profile shootings across the country. Since Kapernick first took a knee to protest racial inequality and police shootings on August 26, 71 people were killed by police through September 19, according to the Guardian's Counted page that tracks police shootings.

You can watch a full clip of Marshawn Lynch's thoughts on Colin Kaepernick on the Team Coco Facebook page.

RELATED: Here's How Many People Have Been Killed by Cops Since Kaepernick Spoke out About Police Reform

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