Colin Kaepernick will forever be known in NFL history as the man who sat during the national anthem. This controversial action has sparked the outrage of many people, from military veterans to then-President Donald Trump. Not only that, his protest threatened to burn the NFL out in terms of TV ratings following the incident. 

And what has the NFL learned from the incident? While many shunned Kaepernick’s act, saying it was foolish and disrespectful. A lot more people are changing their views about the whole incident after all these years. See how one single player could change the whole dynamics of the NFL.

The impact of Colin Kaepernick’s national anthem protest

News is resurfacing about Colin Kaepernick and his controversial protest against police brutality and oppression during the national anthem. And people are blaming him for the drop in NFL ratings. This YouTube short discussed if the “Colin Kaepernick thing” is what “cost a lot of ratings for the NFL.”

The following statement was made, “There’s this poll that came out that said 12% of the people who said they were not watching the NFL games last year, 28% of that 12% said that the Kaepernick national anthem thing is the reason.” In a report by Sporting News, as per a survey conducted, 32% of adults are less likely to watch the NFL after the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback’s protest against racial injustice during the national anthem. 

Many fans shunned Colin Kaepernick, which angered them, and this may be the reason why the ratings for the week’s games had been dismal. Brandon Katz reported, “Both CBS’ Sunday afternoon game and NBC’s Sunday Night Football saw their lowest ratings in seven years.“

READ MORE: “Only Getting Worse”: NFL Maverick Colin Kaepernick Shares a Glimpse of his Darkest Childhood Days

Donald Trump tweeted about the situation, “The American public is fed up with the disrespect the NFL is paying to our Country, our Flag, and our National Anthem. Weak and out of control!” Los Angeles Rams WR Robert Woods said, “Back when Kaepernick took a knee, it was almost kind of scary. You could lose your job, you could be on the bench.“

A change in the NFL’s perspective on Colin Kaepernick 

When Colin Kaepernick first took a knee in 2016, it was met with shock and disgust by both fans and players alike. But things have changed four years after the kneeling incident. After the 2020 incident where George Floyd was murdered by police brutality, the NFL’s perspective on racial discrimination changed. 

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell relaxed the league’s rule by stating that the league would “encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest… I personally protest with you.” Several league head coaches also extend their support for players who wish to kneel during the national anthem. 

The future of Colin Kaepernick in the NFL is bleak as of now. But even though he has a controversial image now, we can only marvel at how he alone can have such a big impact on the whole league. What do you think of Kaepernick ‘take a knee’?

WATCH THIS STORY: “It’s a Little Disrespect to Me”: Yankees Legend Scorches Colin Kaepernick Branding Him An Idiot For His Past Actions