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Brett Favre compares Colin Kaepernick to Pat Tillman, believes he will be stamped with 'hero status'

Favre made the remark during an interview where he was asked whether Kaepernick reminded him of Muhammad Ali or Jackie Robinson, to which he responded saying that Tillman was a better comparison
UPDATED JUN 22, 2020
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

Brett Favre is full of praise for Colin Kaepernick. The former NFL quarterback revealed that Kaepernick will be receiving a 'hero status' as he was willing to give up his NFL career to stand up to protest against racial inequality. Favre also went on to compare him with late Arizona Cardinals player Pat Tillman who had left his football career to join the army after the attacks of September 11. In an interview with TMZ, Favre was asked whether Kaepernick reminded him of Muhammad Ali or Jackie Robinson, to which he responded saying that Tillman was a better comparison. Tillman had turned down a $3.6 million contract from the Cardinals to enlist in the army. 

"It's not easy for a guy his age — black or white, Hispanic, whatever — to stop something that you've always dreamed of doing, and put it on hold, maybe forever, for something that you believe in," he said, adding, "I can only think of right off the top of my head, Pat Tillman is another guy that did something similar. And, we regard him as a hero. So, I’d assume that hero status will be stamped with Kaepernick as well."

Brett Favre compares Colin Kaepernick to Pat Tillman (Getty Images)

Tillman was killed in a friendly fire incident in Afghanistan in 2004. He had played four seasons in the league after a seventh-round pick in the 1998 NFL draft. He then decided he would give up his NFL career and chose to join the army. In 2016, Kaepernick, who was in his sixth season with the San Francisco 49ers, began kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and social injustice, reports Fox News. After that season, he was released from and has not yet signed another season. Favre shared, "I thought he was a dynamic player when he was playing in his prime. He’s still young and hasn’t been hit in several years, so there’s no reason to think that he’s lost that much of a step."

In the wake of the death of 46-year-old George Floyd, a victim of police brutality, protests have swept across the nation and the globe, with the Black Lives Matter movement taking precedence. The country has been demanding the end of police brutality and racial inequality. Given this, Kaepernick's name has been brought back with the NFL choosing to take a different stand on social justice. 

The death of George Floyd shook the country and subsequently the world, with many demanding the end of police brutality and racial inequality (Getty Images)

We had previously reported that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that he is encouraging the league's teams to sign quarterback Colin Kaepernick on Monday, June 15. Goodell made the statement about the former San Francisco 49er during ESPN's 'The Return of Sports' special. During the interview, Goodell revealed, "If he wants to resume his career in the NFL, then obviously it's gonna take a team to make that decision. I welcome that, support a club making that decision, and encourage them to do that."

Even POTUS Donald Trump offered his support to Kaepernick getting a second shot at NFL. However, just hours after backing Kaepernick's return, Trump said all NFL players should stand during the national anthem. Trump opened up about Kaepernick while doing an interview with Sinclair correspondent Scott Thuman. The president said he would love to see Kaepernick get another shot if he had the skills to play in the league. However, the president later said, "When the national anthem plays, and our flag — the great American flag — is raised, you should not be kneeling. You should be standing, ideally with your hand on your heart, or saluting, but they should not be kneeling."

RELATED TOPICS DONALD TRUMP COLIN KAEPERNICK
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