Broncos' Russell Okung to Colin Kaepernick: 'Know that we see you'

Written By Jordan Heck
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(AP Photo)

Colin Kaepernick sat out another national anthem Thursday, and his protest continues to gather reactions. Some players have joined in support while most have either said nothing or remained neutral.

But even if players aren't publicly defending Kaepernick, plenty appreciate what he's doing.

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"Colin Kaepernick, know that we see you, man," Broncos tackle Russell Okung wrote in The Players' Tribune. "Thank you for reigniting the conversation and the movement for change."

Okung's entire piece is worth reading, as he describes, in his eyes, the importance of Kaepernick's protest. The lineman says it reminds him of Tommie Smith and John Carlos' black power salutes at the 1968 Olympics.

"I’ve always wondered if, at the time, they believed that their showing of solidarity with Malcolm X, the Black Panther Party, and the recently assassinated Martin Luther King Jr., would even make a difference," Okung writes. "But, as it turned out, a simple act on the world stage would surprise many, and show that change was needed."

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Can Kaepernick do the same? It's too early to tell, but it's worth the effort, and Okung respects that. In fact, he wants others to do it in their own respective outlets. With social media, there's an easier way to get people to connect with one another, and Okung sees it as a way to "keep the momentum going."

"My challenge to athletes, and to anyone else who has a platform available to them, is to be passionate and creative in your thinking and approach. There are so many different ways to address injustice in this country. We can’t all try to solve these problems in the exact same way, and we should welcome a diversity of approaches."