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Free agent NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s 2016 decision to take a knee during pregame performances of the national anthem was a wrong move according to former defensive lineman Marcellus Wiley.
The Fox Sports 1 host was a guest on The Red Pill Podcast hosted by Van Lathan and criticized of Kaepernick’s action, stating the move was not all-inclusive for the cause. Wiley played in the league from 1997 to 2006 mainly for the Buffalo Bills and the former San Diego Chargers
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“If I had to vote whether Kaepernick did right or did wrong I would vote wrong, because I’m into resources. I’m into materializing. I’m into monetizing,” Wiley said.
TMZ reports Wiley would compared Kaepernick and Houston Texans defensive lineman J.J. Watt, who raised money for the area after Hurricane Harvey struck. Wiley believes Watt was more successful in raising funds for the area because he made his effort more available to take part in.
“I watch J.J. Watt, different cause, different reason,” said Wiley. “Instead of being adversarial. In alliance, he raised $41.6 million on record. $2 million on record, $41.6 million on record.”
Wiley did receive pushback from Lathan who said the causes were on different scales, but he doubled down on his position, saying Kaepernick became silent and his protest was ineffective.
“I’m not going to stand up with that responsibility, and connect with the voiceless and powerless and then go silent on them.”
Recently, Wiley also spoke on Fox Sports 1’s Speak For Yourself about the partnership between Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and the NFL, praising his actions, while also stating there that Kaepernick’s approach was wrong.
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“From day one, I was against him kneeling. I said, ‘Get up and get those resources because where we’re from your kneeling before kickoff has nothing to do with our situation unless you translate that, materialize it and monetize it,” he continued. “Jay-Z waited long enough and said, ‘I gotta pass this dude to get this right.’”
Wiley also alluded to Kaepernick not being an effective civil rights leader due to being mixed. “Kaepernick comes from a situation where he never felt the full weight of these injustices,” he added.
Those comments would receive swift backlash for Wiley online with many seeing his remarks as both misguided and detrimental to the cause of social justice.