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In this task, you are given a text of many news articles seperated by special token "|||||". Your task is to summarize them.

Colin Kaepernick did not stand during the national anthem before his exhibition-season debut Friday night and admitted afterward it was a political statement. 
  
 “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color,” Kaepernick told NFL Media. “To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.” 
  
 Kaepernick added that it wasn’t something he alerted anyone rom the 49ers about in advance. 
  
 “This is not something that I am going to run by anybody,” he said. “I am not looking for approval. I have to stand up for people that are oppressed. … If they take football away, my endorsements from me, I know that I stood up for what is right.” 
  
 The 49ers issued their own statement, recognizing, if not fully supporting, Kaepernick’s right to sit: 
  
 “The national anthem is and always will be a special part of the pre-game ceremony,” the team’s statement began. “It is an opportunity to honor our country and reflect on the great liberties we are afforded as its citizens. 
  
 “In respecting such American principles as freedom of religion and freedom of expression, we recognize the right of an individual to choose to participate, or not, in our celebration of the national anthem.” 
  
 Kaepernick was not asked about the situation after the game in his press conference, which was followed about an hour later by ProFootballTalk.com’s first report on the story. Kaepernick sat in front of the water coolers on the 49ers sideline while all his other teammates stood during the national anthem. 
  
 The NFL states that Kaepernick did not violate any league policy. “Players are encouraged but not required to stand during the playing of the National Anthem,” Brian McCarthy, the NFL’s vice president of communications, said in a statement. 
  
 Kaepernick has used his social-media platform, particularly Instagram and Twitter where he has over two million followers, to relay views on race, religion and politics for much of the past year, including prior to his Nov. 2 loss of the 49ers starting quarterback job. Kaepernick, however, has re-tweeted others’ posts on those accounts, presumably to convey his similar thoughts. 
  
 He conducted his last two media sessions, Wednesday and Friday, wearing a cap with an ‘X’ in honor of civil rights activist Malcolm X. 
  
 Twenty years ago, the NBA suspended the Denver Nuggets’ Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf one game for sitting during the national anthem. 
  
 The NFL did not immediately return an email seeking comment whether Kaepernick could face any disciplinary action. 
  
 After not suiting up for the 49ers first two exhibitions because of a sore throwing shoulder, Kaepernick made his debut during Friday’s 21-10 loss to the Packers. He replaced Blaine Gabbert for the second quarter, and in only 12 snaps, he completed 2-of-6 passes for 14 yards while also running four times for 18 yards. 
  
 Kaepernick’s on-field cameo consisted of three series and one first down as he couldn’t move the first-strong offense past its 36-yard line. Kaepernick’s career took off four years ago, especially with a playoff-opening win over the Packers, who he also beat in the 2013 season’s playoffs. 
  
 His three-year run as the starter ended midway through last season when then-coach Jim Tomsula benched him in favor of Blaine Gabbert. 
  
 Kaepernick requested a trade in February and explores a potential deal with the Denver Broncos before both sides couldn’t agree to a restructured contract. Kaepernick’s $11.9 million base salary this season became guaranteed in April. 
  
 Asked after the game and before the 49ers confirmed Kaepernick’s anthem sit-in, coach Chip Kelly dismissed the notion the franchise might cut the embattled quarterback. 
  
 there any chance Colin would be cut before Week One? 
  
 “We’ve never had a conversation about that,” Kelly said. “That’s never come up. There’s never been a conversation about cutting Colin Kaepernick.” 
  
 Kelly is expected to address the media again Saturday on a conference call. 
  
 Kaepernick is seen sitting on the sideline in a pregame image posted by NinersNation.com reporter Jennifer Chan: ||||| San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the national anthem during a preseason game Friday out of protest against America's treatment of "black people and people of color." 
  
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 Kaepernick told NFL media he made his own decision to protest the playing of the anthem during the game against the Green Bay Packers, saying he felt an obligation to stand with "people that are oppressed." 
  
 "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," he said. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder." 
  
 Kaepernick, who was making his return from injury Friday, maintains an active presence on social media and frequently retweets articles focused on the subject of police violence. 
  
 "I am not looking for approval," he added. "I have to stand up for people that are oppressed." 
  
 Kaepernick, a five-year veteran, broke into the NFL in 2012, a year he led the 49ers to the Super Bowl. 
  
 The 49ers issued a statement before Kaepernick's comments to NFL media were published, saying: "The national anthem is and always will be a special part of the pre-game ceremony. It is an opportunity to honor our country and reflect on the great liberties we are afforded as its citizens. In respecting such American principles as freedom of religion and freedom of expression, we recognize the right of an individual to choose and participate, or not, in our celebration of the national anthem." 
  
 The NFL released a statement on Kaepernick's decision not to stand, saying: "Players are encouraged but not required to stand during the playing of the National Anthem." 
  
 ABC News has reached out to Kaepernick for comment. 
  
 This is not the first time an American athlete has weighed into the debate around racial oppression in America. 
  
 Following the police shooting deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile in July, which were captured on video and spurred large protests across the country, New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony reached out to fellow athletes on social media, urging them to “step up and take charge” of the political environment. 
  
 “These politicians have to step up and fight for change. I’m calling for all my fellow ATHLETES to step up and take charge,” Anthony wrote in an Instagram post that featured an image from 1967 of top black athletes, including Jim Brown and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, holding a news conference in support Muhammad Ali’s refusal to be drafted into the Army during the Vietnam War. 
  
 “Go to your local officials, leaders, congressman, assemblymen/assemblywoman and demand change. There’s NO more sitting back and being afraid of tackling and addressing political issues anymore. Those days are long gone. We have to step up and take charge. We can’t worry about what endorsements we gonna lose or [who’s] going to look at us crazy,” Anthony wrote. ||||| SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has willingly immersed himself into controversy by refusing to stand for the playing of the national anthem in protest of what he deems are wrongdoings against African Americans and minorities in the United States. 
  
 His latest refusal to stand for the anthem -- he has done this in at least one other preseason game -- came before the 49ers' preseason loss to Green Bay at Levi's Stadium on Friday night. 
  
 "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder." 
  
 The 49ers issued a statement about Kaepernick's decision: "The national anthem is and always will be a special part of the pre-game ceremony. It is an opportunity to honor our country and reflect on the great liberties we are afforded as its citizens. In respecting such American principles as freedom of religion and freedom of expression, we recognize the right of an individual to choose and participate, or not, in our celebration of the national anthem." 
  
 Niners coach Chip Kelly told reporters Saturday that Kaepernick's decision not to stand during the national anthem is "his right as a citizen" and said "it's not my right to tell him not to do something." 
  
 The NFL also released a statement, obtained by NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport: "Players are encouraged but not required to stand during the playing of the national anthem." 
  
 By taking a stand for civil rights, Kaepernick, 28, joins other athletes, like the NBA's Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony and several WNBA players in using their platform and status to raise awareness to issues affecting minorities in the U.S. 
  
 However, refusal to support the American flag as a means to take a stand has brought incredible backlash before and likely will in this instance. The NBA's Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf of the Denver Nuggets, formerly Chris Jackson before converting to Islam, refused to acknowledge the flag in protest, citing similar reasons as Kaepernick and saying that it conflicted with some of his Islamic beliefs. 
  
 Abdul-Rauf drew the ire of fans and was briefly suspended by the NBA before a compromise was worked out between the league and player, who eventually stood with his teammates and coaches at the playing of the national anthem. 
  
 Kaepernick said that he is aware of what he is doing and that he knows it will not sit well with a lot of people, including the 49ers. He said that he did not inform the club or anyone affiliated with the team of his intentions to protest the national anthem. 
  
 "This is not something that I am going to run by anybody," he said. "I am not looking for approval. I have to stand up for people that are oppressed. ... If they take football away, my endorsements from me, I know that I stood up for what is right." 
  
 Kaepernick said that he has thought about going public with his feelings for a while but that "I felt that I needed to understand the situation better." 
  
 He said that he has discussed his feelings with his family and, after months of witnessing some of the civil unrest in the U.S., decided to be more active and involved in rights for black people. Kaepernick, who is biracial, was adopted and raised by white parents and siblings. 
  
 Kaepernick's Twitter feed is filled with civil rights messages. 
  
 The former Super Bowl starting quarterback's decision to go public comes while he is fighting for his football life with the 49ers, who drafted him in the second round in 2011. He lost his starting job last season after being one of the most promising players in the NFL during his run under former coach Jim Harbaugh. 
  
 Over the past few months, his relationship with management has turned sour. He requested a trade last spring, which never came. He also has spent most of the offseason rehabilitating from operations to his left (non-throwing) shoulder, his hand and knee. His recovery left him unable to fully compete with Blaine Gabbert for months and has him seemingly in a bind to regain his starting job. 
  
 He made his preseason debut against the Packers and played in the second quarter, completing two of six passes for 14 yards. He looked as rusty as you'd expect from someone who has not played since last November. 
  
 Following the game, and without any knowledge of Kaepernick's non-football behavior, coach Chip Kelly said that there has never been any discussion about cutting Kaepernick. Rapoport added Saturday that Kelly will make "football decisions" on Kaepernick, despite the quarterback's comments. |||||
Output:
Before Friday's preseason game against the Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a stand by not standing for the national anthem. It's a decision NFL.com reports will likely lead to "incredible backlash" against him. “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people," 49ers Hot Read quotes Kaepernick as saying. "There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.” He says it would be "selfish" of him to do otherwise. In a statement, the 49ers say it's the right of every individual to choose whether or not to participate in the national anthem. In the 1980s, NBA player Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was suspended by the NBA for not standing during the national anthem. However, the NFL issued a statement Saturday stating players are "encouraged but not required" to stand for the anthem, the New York Daily News reports. So it appears Kaepernick will avoid punishment for his act of protest. NBA player and Rio gold-medal winner Carmelo Anthony recently asked athletes to stand up and use their visibility to address racial injustice and other political issues in the US, ABC News reports. Likewise, Kaepernick has said he wants to be more active in civil rights battles. Friday's game was Kaepernick's first game back from injury and off-season surgery.