On a recent podcast, the Hall‑of‑Fame quarterback clarified that his decision to stand for the anthem is personal, and he respects Colin Kaepernick’s right to protest.
Key points
- Bradshaw frames his decision to stand as a personal act of respect, not a mandate for others.
- He explicitly states respect for Kaepernick’s individual choice to kneel, separating personal preference from judgment.
- The anthem protests have remained a flashpoint in the NFL, affecting Kaepernick’s career and prompting ongoing public debate.
During an interview on The Rich Roll Podcast, former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw said he stands for the national anthem because he "chooses to honor our flag and our anthem," and that he does not judge anyone who decides otherwise, including Colin Kaepernick.
Bradshaw noted, "You do what you want to on that sideline. If you don’t want to stand for the national anthem, that’s your business. That’s not my business," adding that Kaepernick can do what feels comfortable to him and he respects that decision.
Bradshaw’s recent remarks on personal choice
The discussion references the 2016 protest that began when Kaepernick sat, then knelt, during the anthem to draw attention to systemic oppression of Black people and police violence, a move that sparked nationwide debate and led to Kaepernick’s eventual settlement of a collusion grievance with the NFL in 2019.
Bradshaw’s own comments during the height of the controversy in 2016, while co‑hosting FOX NFL Sunday and appearing on Fox & Friends, focused on his discomfort with what he perceived as disrespect to the flag, though he did not name Kaepernick directly.
The origins of Kaepernick’s anthem protest
In 2017, Bradshaw emphasized the constitutional right to protest, saying, "This is America… every American has the right to speak out also to protest," indicating that his primary concern was the platform used rather than the protest itself.
His recent remarks reiterate that, for Bradshaw, standing is a personal choice, while he acknowledges that others, including Kaepernick, are free to express dissent in the way they see fit.
Reader questions
What did Terry Bradshaw say about Colin Kaepernick’s protest?
Bradshaw said he respects Kaepernick’s right to choose how to express himself, noting that he stands for the anthem by personal choice and does not judge those who kneel.
How did Colin Kaepernick’s protest evolve after he first sat during the anthem?
Kaepernick began by sitting during the 2016 preseason anthem, then switched to kneeling after consulting with retired Army Green Beret Nate Boyer to show respect for military personnel while maintaining his message.
What impact did the protest have on Kaepernick’s NFL career?
After the 2016 season, Kaepernick became a free agent and was not signed by any of the 32 NFL teams; he later filed a collusion grievance that was settled confidentially in 2019.
Source: essentiallysports.com