Yankees legend David Wells rips Colin Kaepernick for kneeling during national anthem: "Proves that you're an idiot"
When Colin Kaepernick took a knee, it caused a stir across the NFL and the sports world. Some supported his actions, while others disagreed with it. One of those in opposition was the New York Yankees legendary pitcher David Wells.
Wells appeared last month on the Outkick show "Don't @ Me" with Dan Dakich to share his feelings on Kaepernick taking that knee. The former MLB pitcher called himself a "patriot" and didn't like his actions:
"That's why when [Colin] Kaepernick took the knee, it's a little disrespect to me because I'm a patriot. I support our military. I come from a military town in San Diego. You can't do things like that. Your beliefs are your beliefs. I don't have any problem with that. But don't go out on national TV and take a knee for what that is."
"That doesn't prove anything in my mind," Wells said. "It proves that you're an idiot and that you're standing up for a cause. When the anthem's there, you're in America, you do the anthem, you do the Pledge of Allegiance. That's what you do. That's what we were taught in elementary school. Put your hand over your heart and say the Pledge of Allegiance."
The then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback explained to the media when he began taking a knee during the national anthem:
"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color."
Wells wasn't the only well-known public figure to disagree with Kaepernick. President Donald Trump called out the quarterback at a political rally in 2017, urging those who supported Colin Kaepernick to be taken off the field and be fired.
How long did Colin Kaepernick play in the NFL after taking a knee?
The 49ers' 2011 second-round pick took a knee in the 2016 season, which ended up being his last in the NFL.
Colin Kaepernick became a free agent after the season when he opted out of re-signing with San Francisco. No teams signed him, as the Seattle Seahawks were interested but passed on him.
Last May, the Las Vegas Raiders gave him a workout, but there were rumors that it was a disaster. However, his agent denied those rumors. Las Vegas chose not to sign him, and Kaepernick is still a free agent.