Trent Dilfer went on a rant about Colin Kaepernick’s protest on NFL Countdown Sunday. He criticized the San Francisco 49ers backup claiming his protest has turned the focus away from football and onto Kaepernick himself.
“No matter how passionate you are, no matter how much of a burden you have for a social issue, you don’t let it get in the way of the team,” Dilfer said. “And the big thing that hit me through all of this is that this is a backup quarterback whose job is to be quiet and sit in the shadows and get the starter ready to play week one.”
“Yet he chose a time where all of a sudden he became the center of attention. And it has disrupted that organization. It has caused friction. And it’s torn at the fabric of the team,” he added.
After the San Francisco 49ers smoked the LA Rams on Monday night, Kaepernick had some words for Dilfer, CBS Sports reports.
Kaepernick and teammate Eric Reid, kneeling during the national anthem Monday. (Photo: Getty Images)
“I think that’s one of the most ridiculous comments I’ve heard,” Kaepernick said. “The fact that you say, ‘You’re a backup quarterback, stay in your place,’ that’s an issue. To me, you’re telling me that my position as a backup quarterback and being quiet is more important than peoples’ lives. I would ask him to really have a conversation with the families of people that have been murdered and see if he still feels that way. Because I’d bet you he doesn’t. Just because he hasn’t experienced that type of oppression.”
“People are dying in vain because this country isn’t holding their end of the bargain up, as far as giving freedom and justice, liberty to everybody. It’s something that’s not happening,” he continued.
Randy Moss, a cohost of NFL Sunday Countdown with Dilfer, would likely side with Kaepernick in his response. This is how he looked at Dilfer during his scathing rant.
(Photo credit: Screenshot/Youtube NFL)
Kaepernick’s protest didn’t seem like much of a distraction Monday night. The 49ers beat the LA Rams 28-0 in their home opener.